Anti-biotech activists frightened the public away from the Flavr Savr Tomato, modified to resist softening, and bST, a hormone which increases milk production in cows. Against this backdrop, there is still hope that the response to cloning will be a lot more staid. While politicians pontificate about the dangers of cloning, press stories point out the potential benefits from such a breakthrough. The scientific community is also avoiding past mistakes. Harold Varmus, director of the National Institutes of Health, in testimony before Congress, warned against hasty regulation that may block important cloning research.
Technological innovation does pose risks, but so also does technological stagnation.
The biotechnology revolution has already yielded enormous benefits, notwithstanding the obstructionist tactics of the doomsayers. It is essential that the mistakes of the past be avoided and that scientists check rather than inflame the passions of politicians. Regulation is published four times a year by the Cato Institute. Editorial and business offices are located at 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20001.