The Pros and The Cons
Today, one of the largest debates in the scientific world is on the topic of cloning, genetic cloning, that is. As beneficial to our world as this may be, everything has its drawbacks. There are two types of cloning, reproductive and therapeutic. Reproductive cloning consists of reproducing a whole organism through a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer. This process works by taking the nucleus out of a donor egg and inserting a nucleus from a cell that has been obtained from the organism that is supposed to be cloned. This newly created cell begins to divide, using electrical impulses. It is then placed inside the body of the host organism and eventually divides enough to create a clone of the donor …show more content…
In addition, it is possible that a greater understanding of human cells will increase the utility of adult cells in the future. Finally, therapeutic cloning would allow new tissues and perhaps even new organs to grow in a natural way. These new organs and tissues would be able to “serve as backup systems for human beings.” If and when organs such as the heart, kidney or lungs fail, cloning would allow those very same organs to grow with identical DNA: “They might be able to understand the composition of genes and the effects of genetic constituents on human traits in a better manner. They will be able to alter genetic constituents in cloned human beings, thus simplifying their analysis of genes. Cloning may also help us combat a wide range of genetic diseases.” But reproductive cloning has its benefits too! A whole new realm of biological science would be opened up, allowing scientists to help people like never before! Infertile couples would be able to have biologically related children, and reproduction could happen regardless of the circumstances, meaning that same-sex couples along with single parents would be able to have children of their own! Reproductive freedom and choice would …show more content…
Research has continued for many years into the use of adult stem cells and found that they are replaceable and could be used for the purposes of treatment and research without the destruction of embryos. In terms of reproductive cloning, it has never been proven that it is safe enough to try on the human race. Multiple studies involving mammals, such as rats, have found damage to both the cloned child and the surrogate mother. “In animal experiments to date, only approximately 5 percent of attempts to clone have resulted in live births, and a substantial portion of those live-born clones have suffered complications that proved fatal fairly quickly.” Some of the medium-term consequences, including premature aging, immune system failures and sudden unexplained deaths, have already been demonstrated in cloned mammals. The cloned child and surrogate mother are subject to health complications for the rest of their lives, including that the surrogate mother’s ability to reproduce in the future may be inhibited. Also, in the medical field, the patient’s consent is required for most procedures, however it is impossible to obtain