National Determinants of Cloning Policy

Objective. This research seeks to identify demographic factors that may account for national stance toward human cloning. Methods. A multiple logistic regression model serves as the basis for analysis. Cloning policy stance is characterized as restrictive or permissive, depending on whether the nation has expressed support for therapeutic cloning research—all nations oppose reproductive cloning. Results. Findings suggest that nations with higher per‐capita incomes and permissive abortion laws are more likely to take a permissive stance toward cloning, supporting an immediate ban on human reproductive cloning, but allowing therapeutic cloning research to proceed. Countries favoring an immediate and total ban on both human reproductive and therapeutic cloning are more likely to have lower per‐capita incomes and restrictive abortion laws. A relationship between the Roman Catholic population and cloning stance was investigated and found not to be significant. Conclusions. This article offers evidence that there may be systematic differences predisposing individual nations to act either restrictively or permissively with regard to cloning technology. Understanding the factors that shape sentiment and impel policy making may help inform the policy process as nations strive to create workable cloning policies both within their own borders and in the global community.