Human Cloning

Human Cloning

Introduction

I decided on this topic after Sara gave her speech, it's a very close topic, but not exactly the same. In recent years, human cloning is not a common topic in conversations. It still is a very controversial issue, with many opposing viewpoints. While some find it acceptable, others object for different reasons. A big concern is the possibility of abuse of this technology. We may have started by just experimenting and studying, but now what? There are many benefits to cloning in the fields of fertility, organ transplants, and fighting disease. Although there are many benefits, the possible effects and moral considerations are big.

Body

Human cloning is the creation of a genetically identical copy of an existing, or previously existing, human being or clone tissue from that individual. There are three forms, embryo cloning, reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. Embryo cloning is also known as artificial twinning, reproductive cloning is to produce an exact twin of an existing person or other animal, and therapeutic cloning is to produce an organ that matches that of an existing person.

Benefits

One of the major benefits of cloning technology is improvement in the field of fertility. In vitro fertilization there is only success rate of about 10%. To improve effectiveness, doctors could clone embryos, and the success rate could drastically increase. Another benefit in the field of fertility is that parents unable to conceive naturally, or people too old to conceive, could still have a genetically related child. With cloning, egg and sperm would not be necessary for reproduction, because any body cell would work. The resulting offspring would actually be a replica of one parent. Other benefits to using cloning come in the field of fighting disease. When genes are not in use, they become dormant. In order for cloning to take place, all genes must be active. Discovering how genes are turned on and off could lead to treatment for different cancers. Cloning could also revolutionize the field of organ transplant. Organs and bone marrow could be cloned and used for transplant. Thousands of people die waiting for transplants, so this could save many lives. In addition, the organs used in the transplant could come from the same patient, reducing the risk of rejection by the body.

Drawbacks

There are also many reasons not to clone. One drawback is the possibility of mutation. An abnormal baby could result from mutated genes (Global Change.com). Another drawback is the possibility of emotional problems. A clone could have a hard time establishing his or her identity (Global Change.com).

Conflicting Opinions

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