Bioethical issues, like the scientific
advances that underlie them, are not limited by national boundaries.
The first mammal to be successfully cloned from an adult cell, Dolly the
sheep, was born in Scotland. The first human cloning experiments were
conducted in South Korea. Public opinion and policy regarding genetic
experimentation, the protection of human subjects, and other issues
vary from country to country, shaped by each culture’s unique
traditions and values.
In January of 2005, meetings of the International Bioethics Committee and the Intergovernmental Bioethics Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) were held to review a draft Declaration on Universal Norms on Bioethics. Most participating countries—with the notable exception of the United States—appear to view bioethics as part of a comprehensive human-rights framework that also includes environmental and economic concerns.