Obama Says Government Will Not Open the Door for Human Cloning

President Obama said Monday that he will ensure the government never "opens the door" for human cloning, before signing an order to lift restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Some critics say the stem cell research can lead to human cloning, but Obama said his administration would develop "strict guidelines" to avoid such experimentation. "We cannot ever tolerate misuse or abuse. And we will ensure that our government never opens the door to the use of cloning for human reproduction," Obama said. "It is dangerous, profoundly wrong, and has no place in our society, or any society." Rather, Obama said he was signing the order to unlock the potential for scientists to find better treatments for ailments ranging from diabetes to Parkinson's disease to cancer.  "That potential will not reveal itself on its own. Medical miracles do not happen simply by accident. They result from painstaking and costly research," Obama said. He said the move rejects the "false choice" between science and morality. The order would not fund the creation of new stem cell lines, but would allow federally funded scientists to conduct research on existing embryonic stem cells that under the Bush administration were off limits. Obama warned of the risks of falling behind other countries in scientific research by keeping in place government restrictions on funding.