Why is human cloning an issue?
Human reproductive cloning is an intricate biological process of making a genetic duplicate of an entire human being. The process involves a transfer of the nucleus of an individual into the egg of a woman. This is then followed by cellular stimulation to develop an embryo by implanting the clonal zygote in the womb of a female adult. The cloning process is commonly called nuclear transfer and has been successful in cloning other animals with a classic example being Dolly, the sheep. Despite the growing body of literature linking the possibility of cloning humans, the evidence of successful in-vitro outcome is equivocal. This is because scientists are sceptical that cloning humans could subject them to poor health, shortened lifespan and other unknown problems. With this in mind, it is hypothesised that cloning humans will ultimately diminish a person’s worth, and eventually clear humans from the face of the world. To assess the potential effects of human cloning as a form of reproduction, this academic paper provides an analysis of the impacts and potential benefits of human reproductive cloning.
Why is human cloning an issue?
Ethical, moral and safety problems are some of the three key issues that surround human cloning. Others include making or creating designer babies, violation of clone’s rights, cellular degradation, the establishment of unique identities and the potential of providing psychological distress. To begin with, cloning humans will lead to designer babies whose genome composition have been selected by a combination of genetic engineering and in-vitro fertilisation. By doing so, such babies will have or even lack characteristics that are deemed disadvantages because it is possible with this process, to change the intelligence, gender, personality and appearance of an individual. In the process of creating designer babies, embryos are first created by the process of in-vitro fertilisation, followed by a growth stage that usually takes eight cellular stages. As the cells grow, scientists can replace cells with defects. This selection is aimed at circumventing mitochondrial diseases such as muscular dystrophy and other genetic conditions. Some of the advantages of designer babies include reduced inherited and genetic disorders, hybrid vigour and increased lifespan. Despite these advantages, several flaws have plunged this form of reproduction. It is hypothesised that coming up with designer babies Will terminate many embryos in the process of cell growth. Scientists believe that if this process is not done carefully, there is a possibility of terminating the embryo accidentally. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Moreover, coming up with designer babies will create a social gap of designer and non-designer babies. In particular, the babies designed genetically will feel superior in society to the disadvantage of babies without genetic manipulation. This disparity would eventually lead to social hostility marked with segregation and societal intolerance. Other shortcomings of designer babies include accidental removal of essential genes that would be necessary for the healthy growth and development. It may also give rise to unknown diseases that scientists are not aware of. In light of the above evidence, the use of cloning as a form of human reproduction may lead to safety, moral and ethical problems in society.
In the second place, there are concerns that cloning humans will lead to the creation of a rapidly ageing human population. This is evident from the fact that cells obtain ageing information from their material structures. A case in point, when a person grows, they create a pool of genetic data that is kept in their genome. Despite the possibility of human cloning, the bone of contention is that scientist have not been able to understand how the DNA information will change with time. Therefore, it is believed that cloning humans would lead to unknown genetic syndromes, a factor that will, in turn, increase premature death among the cloned human population. Irrespective of the fact that a majority of studies have elucidated the general understanding of how human cloning is possible, these studies have failed to explain how human genetic makeup and diversity will be in enhanced. Some of the studies that have been conducted on the effects of human cloning have revealed that this process is likely to reduce human diversity and genetic makeup. Bearing in mind that only a few unique species are remaining on the earth surface, advocating for cloning would endanger a majority of the species. In particular, it is believed that several genetic conditions will occur if human beings are allowed to have a similar genetic profile. Some of these conditions include but not limited to Tay-Sachs disease and cystic fibrosis. To avoid these problems, human need diversity in their genome to prevent the risks associated with close human relationships. A typical example of the human population facing the issue of a close relationship is the Ashkezani population whose health is compromised from the fact that they closely resemble one another. Consistent with these findings, a study conducted by (xxxx) indicates that cloning humans as a form of reproductive will exploit women. This is because the only way to start the cloning process is to have as many embryos as possible. Also, scientists need to have sufficient clone foetuses to create viable stem cells. This means that women would receive medications that speed up the ovulation process. Alternatively, women will need to undergo invasive procedures to produce more eggs which are necessary for the manufacture of embryos. With this in mind, more women will have to endure hyper-stimulation that will lead to side effects such as infertility, abdominal pain, as well as reproductive health issues.
Based on grief and an unexpected loss of a loved one, it is believed that cloning human will change how people approach sudden loss due to death and grieving process. Without a doubt, the idea of embracing cloning as a form of reproduction in the human will change on how parents approach the death of their children because this process will provide an exact duplicate of the dead child. Even though the cloned child will not exactly be as the late child, the newly developed offspring may resemble and act similarly as the late child. In such cases, if a parent happened to give a new offspring a similar name as the late child, the burden of grief and child loss would feel as though it never happened. This approach will eventually devalue human apathy, especially in an event where a parent loses a child because, with cloning, it is possible to make a replacement. Additionally, it is also believed that human cloning would alter individuality and human perceptions. Considering that human cloning has the potential to create more people with a similar genetic profile, this process will be of concern because of the physical similarity among different individuals.
Why advocate for human cloning?
Irrespective of the disadvantages associated with human cloning, the process has its potential benefits. In the first place, with this process, it is possible to resolve the problem of fertility which has remained a problem for the people who are not able to sire children. For the couples who are not in a position to conceive naturally, this process can come in handy whenever authentic and legitimate genetic offspring are required. This means infertility in the human will be a thing of the past because physicians would comfortably isolate heredity materials from a parent and introduce it to an embryo outside the human body though within the laboratory setting. Thus, this process will turn out to be beneficial in countries such as Japan which are experiencing low birth rates.
Secondly, through cloning, it will be possible to find quick and alternative ways for people to recover from trauma. With the help of this non-surgical procedure, it would be possible for physicians to use patient’s cells to fix traumatic injuries. Through human cloning, a strain or ligament tear can heal within six weeks when maximum rest is observed. In other words, with the cloning process, it is possible to use tissue graft treatment to enhance the healing process. With the current procedures, there is a risk of damaging the patient’s cartilage and a likelihood of developing osteoarthritis in later stages of life. However, through the use of human cloning, it possible to initiate a treatment process where the cells repair themselves. It is, therefore, believed that by using this procedure, it would provide patients with an opportunity for faster recovery because the healthcare givers can duplicate body cells and tissues required by the body. That notwithstanding, human cloning could as well lead to discoveries and medical advances, especially in medical science. Considering that this process involves sharing personal genetic information, this approach could assist in preventing or even curing diseases that have for long remained a problem in society. This procedure will as well establish a new study paradigm similar to the embryonic stem cell treatment.
In the third place, with the help of human cloning, it will be possible to explore the benefits associated with gene modification. Considering that human cloning incorporates some form of genetic engineering, it is possible to use bacterial enzymes to locate human genes and to create appropriate adjustments necessary for duplication. Gene modification, in tandem with vaccine manufacture, could as well assist in reducing if not eliminating the effects of genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis and Thalassemia. Moreover, with genetic modification, it is also possible to do away with complicated human disorders such as schizophrenia. This crucial scientific procedure could as well come up with ways of averting the ageing process and possibly come up with ways of stopping it. With human cloning, some procedures such as those done to babies to establish their human potential will be a thing of the past.
Moreover, the process will significantly reduce the cost of treating diseases globally. This is attained through the correction of current conditions for the betterment of tomorrow’s generation. For example, human cloning can play a significant role in the discovery of medical conditions that have affected both the mental and physical abilities of many children globally. With the use of genetic engineering, 1 out of 10 children in Europe and the USA who take attention-deficit medication would be leading a healthy life.
From the medical viewpoint, genetic engineering of human beings can assist in the elimination of defective genetic profiles. A majority of human defects such as albinism and sickle cell anaemia are as a result of addition or deletion of one or more chromosomes. Moreover, there is a high risk of children developing genetic disorders, especially when they are born by older women. Some of the common conditions linked with such children include Edward syndrome and Patau. Children born with this condition commonly called trisomy 13 or 18 die in their first after birth. In extreme cases, such genetic disorders can lead to severe congenital disabilities that may even result in stillbirth. However, with human cloning, it is possible to provide physicians with an opportunity to prevent these genetic conditions from occurring. The process can also assist in circumventing other conditions such as Turner syndrome, albinism and Down syndrome, which occur as a result of missing or deleted X chromosome that mainly affects females.
With human cloning, it is possible to create research stem cells ethically. Although these cells were created two decades ago, it will be beneficial if more strands were available. With this in mind, it is possible to replicate the already existing cell to multiple lines without compromising the existing life. With human cloning scientific breakthrough, it is possible to come up with genetically identical cells that have better health outcomes for people more, especially those suffering from rare genetic disorders. It is also conceivable that with proper human cloning, it is possible to come up with a human population that is resilient to diseases.
Additionally, human cloning has a potential of replicating resistance to disorders and ailments once discovered in a given population. For instance, some selected groups of people in West Africa can resist diseases such as Ebola. When the resistance genes are isolated from these individuals and replicated through genetic engineering, it can assist in dealing with conditions that have remained a health issue. The other typical example is when the CCRS gene mutates. Studies have indicated that mutation of these genes naturally leads to the resistance of HIV. Furthermore, human cloning could assist in the development of vaccines from naturally isolated immunity, thus creating a natural way of combating resilient diseases that may otherwise cause millions of deaths annually.
The science of cloning humans could as well lead to the production of the brightest and smartest individual who will continue impacting the world. The questions that many scientists ask is what will happen if scientist such as Albert Einstein and Leonardo da Vinci were present and still working with the most current tools available. Without a doubt, science literature, art and manufacturing would witness a massive innovation if human cloning was to be allowed. In other words, human cloning can assist in generating reliable outcomes instead of depending on chance. Moreover, with human cloning, scientists can regenerate and develop new organs. Currently, in the United States alone, more than 10,000 people are in a waiting list of receiving a body organ. A majority of these people wait for months, while others take years to have a successful organ transplant. However, with the help of human cloning, it could be possible to duplicate such organs a factor which at the long run will provide positive outcomes. Therefore, instead of physicians waiting for donors to provide the needed organs, human cloning can be a better alternative of creating essential organs such as kidneys, liver and the heart a factor that will significantly revolutionise the way healthcare sector is managed globally.
In conclusion, despite the many issues surrounding human cloning, the process can be a game-changer more, especially in the healthcare sector. This is because it can solve the problem of infertility and genetic diseases. With human cloning, it is also possible to remove defective genes and repair traumatic injuries. The process also has the potential of reversing the ageing process and reduce if not eliminate viral epidemics such as Ebola and HIV. That notwithstanding, this genetic engineering breakthrough could as well allow for the creation of delicate organs that can be transplanted to people once need arises. However, to achieve these, it is imperative to find lasting solutions to the ethical, moral and safety problems surrounding this procedure.