Human Ova Trade to Be Banned

Limited scientific research on somatic cell nuclear transfers for possible cures of fatal diseases will be permitted following a revision of the relevant law.

The law will prescribe the bounds of the research, as well as ban human ova trading.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday that the revised Bioethics Law will take effect in October.

In Korea, there have not been any applications for studies on embryo cloning using somatic cells since the government started revising the law in conjunction with the research fabrication scandal by disgraced scientist Hwang Woo-suk.

Early 2006, former Seoul National University professor Hwang shocked the nation and the world when it was found that his much-praised study on human stem cell cloning was based on cooked data.

According to the revision, research on somatic cell nuclear transfer is permitted once approved by the health and welfare minister, and only for the purpose of seeking to cure incurable diseases.

The law will also put a restriction on the types of ova that can be used for the embryo cloning study _ ova prepared...