Further, if research cloning were permitted, it would require, to be effective, a large number of human oocytes.

“Somatic cell nuclear transfer” means introduction of nuclear material from a somatic cell into a fertilized or unfertilized oocyte whose nuclear material has been removed or inactivated;

In the first place, the process would use the body of women as a reservoir of oocytes without any consideration being given to the number of donations and her procreative future.

In the second place, the massive demand for human oocytes would disproportionately affect the poor and marginalized of the world bringing a new type of injustice and discrimination into existence.

She says, “ There are very few families who don’t want touse donated oocytes (eggs), where PGD would not work, and where therisk of having severely affected babies is so high that it might beworth trying the new techniques.”

“Victim” means both the person whose genetic material or oocyte is used without permission to commit an offence set forth in article 2, paragraph 1, and the living organism created by the commission of the offence set forth in article 2, paragraph 1.

The concept of victim as set forth is broad and includes not only the person who is “copied” by means of cloning — the donor of the genetic material — but also the woman whose oocyte is used and the human being who is created through cloning.