There are three types of human cloning:
1. Embryro cloning – Creating identical twin with an existing fertilized embryo.
2. Reproductive cloning (cell nuclear replacement) – Use of somatic cell nuclear transfer (nucleus of a somatic cell is transferred into a woman’s egg(oocyte) from which the nucleus has been removed) and developed inside the womb. (A somatic cell is any of the cells except the reproductive cells)
3. Therapeutic cloning – Starts off the same as reproductive cloning. But stem cells are removed and the embryo dies.
There are no ethical problems with embryonic cloning since this can occur naturally.
The last two have serious ethical/moral problems. President Bush gave a
speech on Wednesday urging the Senate to ban these two types of cloning.
Reasons for opposing reproductive cloning:
1. Loss of respect for life. With the ability to control life, you lose the respect for it. Cloned humans will be regarded with less respect.
2. Family unit destruction. With cloning, there is no father and mother.
3. Risk of unconsenting cloning. What if someone was able to get some cells from me and use it for cloning?
4. Gradual loss of diversity in gene pool.
5. What if the cloned human was discovered to have a deformity while it was developing in the uterus? Most likely it’ll be aborted and the process can be repeated until a “success” is achieved.
6. What if a person was cloned for a particular trait and the cloned person grew up not to have that trait? What if Michael Jordan was cloned and Michael Jr didn’t want to play basketball?
Reasons for opposing therapeutic cloning:
1. Therapeutic cloning destroys life.
2. Cannot justify the means by the end. One cannot sacrifice one human life for the real or potential benefit of others.
2. Exploitation of women. A large number of donor eggs must be used since only a small percentage will become a viable stem cell.
Organizations
Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity
Americans to Ban Cloning
Sites
BioEthics.net
New Scientist
ReligiousTolerance
Human Cloning Foundation
Programs
Making Babies – PBS FrontLine
Articles
Why Human Cloning Must Be Banned Now – US Congressman Dave Weldon
The Ethics of Human Cloning – AMA
To Clone Or Not To Clone – Hugh Ross
To Clone Or Not To Clone – Joseph Farnsworth
Therapeutic Cloning – Good description of cloning process
Speeches:
President Bush Calls on Senate to Back Human Cloning Ban