Doubts have started to surface over the truth of claims that the first human clone has been born, after Clonaid — the company that made the original 27 December announcement — backed away from an independent verification by genetic tests.

The New York Times reported that Clonaid's self-imposed one-week deadline expired with no evidence forthcoming. Clonaid's Chief executive Brigitte Boisselier said “The parents told me that they needed 48 hours to decide yes or no — if they would do it” (New York Times).

The credibility of the claims took another hit when Michael Guillen — the freelance science journalist organizing the genetic tests — pointedly distanced himself from Clonaid after the tests did not go ahead. “It's entirely possible [that] Clonaid's announcement is part of an elaborate hoax to bring publicity to the Raelian movement,” he said (The Guardian).

Claude Vorhilon (aka 'Rael'), leader of the pseudoscientific sect that funds Clonaid, suggests that a Florida court action aimed at placing the baby under the court's protection might explain the company's reticence. “...to take away this poor baby from a mother, I think this is completely crazy, just because she was cloned. So I called Doctor Boisselier, and I said, 'If I was you, I would not test anything.'” (The Washington Times).

The increasing scepticism of the media has not prevented Clonaid from expanding their claims: according to them a further three human clones will be born in the next month, in addition to the trio already born (The Guardian).

Perhaps the biggest concern for geneticists arising from the whole media furore is the spur it is likely to provide for efforts in the US Congress to ban human cloning (The Guardian).