The group is against human cloning and public funding for embryonic stem cell research. Current Missouri laws ban human cloning, but the Missouri Roundtable for Life says the law still allows cloning and the group disagrees with the very definition of cloning.

The organization says human cloning is the asexual production of a new living organism done through somatic cell nuclear transfer, or SCNT.

Under Amendment Two of the Missouri Constitution, SCNT is protected. Missourians voted to pass Amendment Two in a statewide ballot in 2006. Missouri Roundtable for Life says the ballot language wasn't clear.

Valinda Freed is the regional coordinator for the Missouri Roundtable for Life. She said, "The voters of Missouri were certainly misled because the wording that was on the face of the ballot said it would ban human cloning and in effect, we were approving human cloning."

Bob Pund from the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures says opponents to stem cell research use the word cloning to make Amendment Two unpopular.

The Coalition for Lifesaving Cures Web site says the Missouri Roundtable for Life intends to ban "promising stem cell research allowed by federal law," and "They know a majority of Missourians support all forms of stem cell research. In other words, running an honest campaign wouldn't get stem cell opponents what they want, which unfortunately would be a ban on promising avenues of medical research." 

The Missouri Roundtable for Life met at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Columbia Activities and Recreation Center to inform voters on the issue of stem cell research.