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Cloning
is Unethical
In
the present society, cloning is not a new subject. Cloning refers to the
process where an identical copy of something is produced. Nonetheless, in
biotechnology, the term cloning is used to define one of three different
processes. For instance, DNA cloning is a process that results in the
production of large quantities of specific genetic sequence (Amit, 405).
Besides, the two other processes, include reproductive and therapeutic cloning,
these processes involve the creation of an embryo for reproductive or research
purposes respectively. It is important to recognize that the various process
under cloning have raised serious discontent among the general public; as there
are valid concerns about what can be termed as the beginning of life and who
should possess the capacity to procure life. For that reason, cloning can be
described as one of the most controversial subjects of modern society, the
subject remains skeptical and is opposed widely in reference to spiritual and
ethical grounds. Is cloning ethical? This is the subject of this paper-based
research paper as it seeks to take the stand that human cloning is unethical as
it goes against the moral principles of the society.
Reproductive
cloning
This can be
described as the process where an identical copy of an individual is fully
created. In one sense, the natural world takes part in this type of cloning.
According to Bernie and Gregoire (527), among animals and plants, sexual
reproduction involves the combination of genetic information from two
individuals thus creating a unique hybrid. Conversely, in plants asexual
reproduction does not involve the combination of genetic information, however,
an identical copy of the plant is produced naturally. The cloning of animals
has been enabled by the adoption of artificial cloning, a process that involves
Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) where an embryo is created with an
identical DNA to that of another individual. The embryo created out is then
cultured and inserted into the womb of a surrogate parent, where it will be
gestated and born as a clone.
In 1997, the first mammal, a sheep called
Dolly was cloned and successfully raised, this signified the beginning of
animal cloning that includes different animals. Nonetheless, the cloning of
animals remains a process that can be described as inefficient and difficult;
as the process is quite complex it results in different trials for a single
successful clone. Amit (410) asserts that previous studies on cloned animals
reveal that they are susceptible to an unusually high number of health concerns,
for example, cloned animals possess compromised immune systems. Therefore, animal
cloning can be described as unethical considering the process is unsafe,
expensive and inconvenient.
Therapeutic
cloning
This involves the use of SCNT a technique that is useful in both reproductive and therapeutic cloning so that to create an embryo that bears identical nuclear genetic information to an already existing individual (Bernie & Gregoire, 528). Sexual reproduction involves, fertilization of a germ cell from an individual by a germ cell from another individual. As a consequence, the genetic information from these two germ cells combine, the cells quickly disintegrate, resulting in the production of another genetic individual. In the SCNT process, the somatic cells possess a nucleus that is removed and inserted into the donor...
