This Is Not Funny

What in the world is fertility specialist Dr. Severino Antinori thinking?

In an MSNBCi, AP and Reuters story, Antimori, speaking from Rome, is saying that the first-ever cloned human (his doing) will be born in January. In May, the Italian embryologist announced that three women were pregnant with clones. In animal experiments, according to the account, there are hundreds of unsuccessful tries for every cloning success. Most scientists reject human cloning because of the great risk of creating deformed or sick babies.

Ed.'s questions: If the experiment fails to deliver a whole, healthy child, what will the fate of the live newborn be? What (Italian?) law will be applied to that outcome, and what status will be attributed to the unfortunate creature that results?

There are those who desire they be the sole arbiters of what constitutes human life, and when. The laws of the United States have allowed that, to a point.

Now what?