Embryo cloning does have medical and social benefits when used on human embryos, but again like all the methods it also has many ethical concerns. The benefits are that the rate at which the cloned morula develops is similar to the rate at which cancers propagate; and so as it is easier to control embryo’s, experiments could be carried out possibly advancing the knowledge of cancers and leading to ways of stopping its growth. (Sources 5 and 6)
Due to the fact that from this method one embryo can be split into many, during in vitro fertilisation treatment women who can supply a simple egg can have a greater chance of pregnancy. Once the gee is fertilised it can be cloned and multiple embryo’s implanted into the women’s womb increasing the chance of one developing and so increasing the chance of pregnancy. This cloning process could also supposedly ‘free’ the world of genetic faults as a clone of an embryo could be tested for genetic faults and then, only if found clear of these, implanted into the woman to develop. (Sources 5 and 9)
The process could also be used to create ‘spare parts’ as embryos could be cloned and then one frozen so that if the human developed and illness and needed say, a bone marrow transplant, then the other embryo could be developed and an exact donor be produced.
These though all have ethical reasons against them. There is a question whether it is right to be able to just bring a person into the world to provide ‘spare parts’. Also there is a question of whether it is right to eliminate genetic faults, these could be stages of evolution which might seem wrong now but ultimately could be beneficial to humans in the future. (Sources 5 and 6)
Adult DNA cloning brings with it again man ethical and moral concerns, but these are also counteracted by the medical gains this method could also be used beneficially in the aid of providing people with children. Couples in which the male is sterile could use their or their partners DNA and have it cloned through this method to produce offspring of their ‘bloodline’. This reason though has many arguments against it, for example the question of why the family can’t adopt a child, as there are many who have been abandoned and who could provide a child for them to love and love them back rather then cloning another. Also this reason could present many social and psychological problems for the cloned child; because by looking at the parent from whom they are cloned they would be able see their possible future. The environmental habitat would though affect their development and change their likely future from that of their ‘twin’ parent. The cloned person could have social difficulties as the question whether they might by some be classed as second class citizens because they aren’t ‘individual’ necessarily, but this is a question which could also trouble the cloned person; are the an individual or not? (Sources 5, 6,8 & 10)
The method of cloning could also be used to reproduce many people who are at the top of their field of expertise. This though has ethical concerns, is it right to bring someone to life with the intention to control their life and force them to follow the profession of their DNA donor just because the talent had previously been appreciated?
Adult DNA cloning at this stage could not be carried out without complications, as the cloning of mammals like ‘Dolly’ the sheep has shown the actual success rate is low. With ‘Dolly’ 277 eggs were used, 30 started to divide, 9 induced pregnancy and only one went to full term. So the process is unreliable. Abnormalities have also been seen in cloned mammals. This is because DNA used as the basis for the mammal is old and has already been exposed to rigours of life and mutations have occurred through the exposure to radiation (UV light etc…) and so these would be present from the start for the clone. (Sources 5&6)
This form of cloning also inhibits the process of evolution, the most important natural process. It doesn’t allow the adaptations of genes to be passed on, as it stops genetic variation because only one genetic parent. (Source 6)
Therapeutic cloning has one major advantage, that of perfectly matched organs and tissues being made available for medical patients. This would remove the risk of rejection that donor organs from humans or transgenic animals would possess, because the DNA is identical. Also transplants would be available for all readily and so waiting lists for organs etc… wouldn’t lead to as many deaths in the meantime. (Sources 5&6)
The source of stem cells is mainly from embryos because other sources such as umbilical cord blood or aborted foetuses are difficult to obtain and less effective. Umbilical cord blood would have to be collected at birth and stored (frozen); an added complication, and also taking stem cells from aborted foetuses brings about a lot of controversy over its ethics. (Source 5)
For all the methods of cloning there is one major ethical concern, they all involve the use of or manipulation of an embryo. There is one-repeated questions, at what stage of development does an embryo become a human being and at what stage does ‘human rights’ apply to them? Many ‘pro-life’ supporters believe that an embryo is a human person and as such all of the cloning methods would be assaulting the human, and in therapeutic cloning murder of the human. This though in the case of the therapeutic cloning is justified by scientists who say that the nervous system does not develop until the 14th day and so as the embryos are terminated before then they would feel nothing.
Cloning needs significant of the techniques and procedures so that conclusive and reliable results are gained before it is even justifiably considered in being widely implemented on humans. Even though stem cells are used in therapeutic, it would be the most accepted cloning method of the three by society. This is because only organs or tissues are produced and no actual cloned humans, who society may or may not reject, as this is a question that cannot be answered until or if it actually occurs.
Overall cloning can definitely be seen as a medical breakthrough as it represents advances in technology and knowledge of genetics. Whether or not it is a step too far is a contentious issue and which will always be present in some people’s views.
Bibliography:
Books:
1.‘Biology principles and processes’ by Michael Roberts, Michael Reiss and Grace Monger
2.’Advanced Biology’ by Michael Kent
3.’Biological science 2 systems maintenance and change 9third edition0’ by D.J.Taylor, N.P.O.Green and G.W.Stout.
Article:
4.’The Big Tissue Issue’ The Times Newspaper 12th November 2001 by Anjana Ahuja
Sites:
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