Reproductive Cloning - Essay Example

Reproductive Cloning Bioethics is a vast issue in science in the fields of science, medicine research and public policy. Reproductive cloning deals with reprogramming donation of DNA by the egg after introducing it to the egg. This makes some of the embryonic genes to be on and others to be off which is appropriate in the development stage of the cell. After sufficient division of the egg, there is transfer of the embryo to the uterus of the surrogate mother where development process takes place. The first step in reproductive cloning is getting the eggs, by treating the female the hormones. The nucleus of an egg, which has the mothers DNA is removed and replaced with nucleus of the cell that is copied. We do this by placing together the egg and the nucleus cell and pass a concise pulse of electric current (Jaenisch 250). Current allows the egg and the nucleus cell to fuse leading to the development of the embryo. This process can be performed several times to produce genetically similar clones. There was an attempt by Kassirer and Rosenthal (338) to clone sheeps’. From the techniques that they used many scientists have cloned dogs, monkeys, and other species. There are many claims on production of cloned human embryos. There was a claim of scientists from advanced cell technologies that cloned human embryos but only one of them could grow. The Raelians and a Canadian- religious act also claimed that they had succeeded in five cloned children. We believe that most of the human embryos developed from nuclear transfer do not mature normally. Many experiments that scientists carry out indicate that it is impossible to clone primates and dogs. Most of the cloned embryos die in their initial stages of embryonic development. The majority of them are usually abnormal consequently die when they are still young as a result of anatomical and physiological problems that vary from one species to another (Jaenisich 247). The commonly known problem is large offspring syndrome, which has abnormal clones and they can deliver them only through caesarean. The produced cloned animals are usually health and have the ability of producing other offspring’s. Evidence indicates that some of the problems in animals are caused by disturbing gene expression. Dolly was an example of a cloned animal that was very old but had a tumor but it was 6 years. Other scientists suggest that Dolly may have aged while premature because she underwent cloning from a sheep that was 6 years. However, there is no proof yet. Cell division also causes results in failure to clone primates. Scientists believed that embryos could not develop because of the removal of cell nucleus. Inability to clone primates suggests that it will be very difficult to clone humans. However, other scientists claim that IVF was easily achieving reproductive cloning in animals than in any other species. Some people claim that they are humans’ clones but this might not be the case because there is no evidence. Cloning has resulted into huge ethical debates for instance, reports provided by books and articles and bioethics committees. There are many advocates for cloning but majority of them claim that the philosophical arguments against cloning are naïve. They argued that the opposition of people to cloning cannot be a reasoned argument. Other liberals have argued that they should not stop people from cloning because they have the freedom to do that. Different people have different views about cloning for instance, the technological and human interventions in the reproduction of humans comprises of artificial insemination and family planning, segregation of sexes and sterilization in the 1940s and 1950s, contraceptives, legalized abortion, medicalization of pregnancy and birth in the 1960s and 1970s. There is a difference between cloning and these earlier interventions in reproduction for instance asexual reproduction is something that never happens naturally. Some religious philosophers believe that cloning is interfering with the order of God’s creation. Liberals claim that we cannot sustain such because everything has turned out to be natural for instance the medicine that we use. I do believe that being unnatural is not bad because we are living in the modern world and we have to embrace technology and appreciate the role of science in the capitalist societies. The role of western technology is to assist societies to use science and technology to benefit humans. It is also true that science and technology has improved the quality of human life. Our major problem not understanding complications that are associated with natural systems. Conservatists argue that kinship patterns are fundamental basis of the human structure. For instance, a parent who is parenting a clone is as well parenting a genetic twin and one could examine psychological difficulties experienced by both the parent and the child. He found that biological grounding was very significant because it identified an individual. Arguments Favoring Reproductive Cloning Cloning does not result in creation of adult human beings. It results in production of embryos that need gestation, years, and some time to bring them up. Another argument is against the claim that reproductive cloning threatens cloned people psychologically. This is not true for instance, parents still love their cloned children regardless of whether she is a performer or not. People have to undergo development from the time they are born to death. Cloned persons cannot be identical because the organism passes through several environments and the process of random cellular that determine the existence, death, and alteration of cells. Identical twins are not identical because their mental processes, abilities, temperaments, disease histories, and death are not the same. This means that cloned children will always be distinctive and unique from others. This opposes the view that cloned children will lose their individuality. Scientists also argue that cloned children do not die early as claimed but instead grow up as either abnormal children or adults. They further claim that this may be as a result of reprogramming gametogenesis. Reprogramming in cloning can take hours or minutes. This leads to epigenetic and inefficiencies in regulating the genome. Arguments against Reproductive Cloning Reproductive cloning results in developmental problems because it causes serious harm to the child with no benefit (Jaenisch and Wilmot 2552). For instance homosexuals and infertile people may use cloning to get a child. I am in support for reproductive cloning because it is associated with various benefits for instance the infertile people are capable of getting a child (Jaenisch and Wilmot 2552) proved this to be true. I support this evidence because this is research that has been carried out by superior scientists and philosophers. Criticisms of Reproductive Cloning Lipschutrz (106) suggested that the debate to criticize reproductive should answer the question on when is cloning wrong. According to the critics of reproductive cloning, there are various harm that a cloned child can suffer from. The cloned child may suffer from genotype donors and parental demands and expectations from the child. For instance, the parents may not get the exact expectations from the cloned child that can affect the child. The cloned child may also suffer from peoples’ attitudes toward them. After realizing that they are cloned children, they may develop negative attitudes toward them that may affect them psychologically. They may also harm them after realizing their own origins. For example, if they realize that they were cloned and other children were born naturally, they may be affected psychologically because they will realize that they are different from others (Jerome and Nadia 338). From a standpoint, Kass questioned if human procreation will remain to be human. He suggested that words like revolting, repulsive, offensive are commonly heard on the streets, and from scientists, atheists, intellectuals, and believers concerning reproductive cloning (Kass par. 2). Opponents have also suggested that reproductive cloning is problematic because the cloned person is denying his identity and uniqueness. This is because cloned people suffer from psychological problems. According to McConville (366), a cloned person will be very different from other people. This will be a premature twin who is brought up in a different environment and at a different time. The major fear for reproductive cloning is that the cloned person is a similar copy of another person. Baird (180) asserts that reproductive cloning act as a threat to individuality and human identity. He argues that if the child made from genetic he is considered to be a product and not a gift of providence. He stresses that reproductive cloning result in serious threats to identity and individuality. This is because the society will be concerned about performances of cloned person and compare it with others. However, other scientists claim that reproductive cloning cannot be a threat to individuality and identity because people will never be the same. In conclusion, I support reproductive cloning because we have to use current technology to enjoy its benefits. Works Cited Baird, Patricia. Cloning of animals and humans: what should the policy response be? Perspectives in Biology and Medicine 42.2 (1999): 179-94. Jaenisch, R. and Wilmot, I. Do not clone humans. Science 291 (2001): 2552. Jerome, Kassirer and Nadia, Rosenthal. Should human cloning research be off limits? New Eng. J. MED 905 (1998): 338. Kass, Leon. “For an international ban. “Advisory Commission. 1997. Web. 8 Apr. 2012. < http://www.all.org/abac/clontx04.htm> Lipschutz, J.H. To clone or not to clone: a Jewish perspective. Journal of Medical Ethics 25.2 (1999): 105-109. McConville, P.S. (2001). Physicians and cloning. Current Surgery 58.4 (2001): 399-401. Read More