Ethical Issues On Human Cloning
Two of the most controversial subjects in human cloning are reproductive and therapeutic cloning. Many people idealize that therapeutic cloning is altogether a bit more moral than just the straight forward cloning of a human being. The pro-cloning groups say that they are two entirely different process whereas the anitcloning groups insist that they are both one in the same. Through our research, we have found the following: Reproductive cloning consists of creating a gamete/embryo which develops only long enough to harvest useful and viable cells for use as "replacement", cells in the defective or malfunctioning tissues or organs of an already existing individual. Therapeutic cloning, by contrast, is using cells from the tissue of an already existing individual to create specific cells that are identical to the healthy tissue or organ cells that are needed.
"There is no federal law against therapeutic cloning, though some states have banned the procedure." Shockingly as it may be, the state of New Jersey allows gestation to occur through nine months for the study of therapeutic cloning. The National Academy of Sciences say that they have guidelines for human cloning and did not oppose the law but rather feel that for now, " this is not appropriate", now being emphasized. Before the laws prohibiting human cloning were established, there were presumable suggestions made. One statement in being that cloning could help us rule out an unpredictable selection of traits or genetic diseases, that still rule over human reproduction laws of nature. Scientist truly believe that all of the oppostition of human cloning is holding back an unsurmountable future for science in of itself. Scientists want everyone to realize that stem cell research and human cloning are closely linked together. These stem cells are from what the scientists call, "the embryonic leftovers", from a fertility treatment. The true question on the ethics of human cloning is; does it threaten our civil liberties? The question still lies in the uncertainty of a possible loss of individual privacy, discrimination, and genetic enhancement of select races, ethnicities and financial benefactors in society. This all could be summed up to the shortchanged, ups and downs of technologies proclamation of a "new world". The anti-side for human cloning says that society is not getting the big picture. They state that, "therapeutic cloning requires the deliberate creation and disaggregation of a human embryo." They believe that this alone will send the United States to a spiraling ethical collapse of an unthinkable consequence of events. Ultimately this ethical issue on human cloning and therapeutic cloning will continuously be a debate over good and evil, no matter what the outcome.
Written by: Jody Andlinger