Essay about We Must Ban Therapeutic Human Cloning

The Senate is considering a proposal to outlaw human cloning. Two alternative proposals would ban only reproductive cloning, which would mean explicitly legalizing human cloning but not the implantation of a clone embryo into a womb. Pro-cloners are willing for the most part to outlaw reproductive cloning because it isnt safe, but they oppose a ban on cloning for research and experimentation--known as therapeutic cloning--arguing that such a cloning license is necessary to the development of future medical treatments for human ailments. This opposition to a ban on human therapeutic cloning is misinformed. The case against cloning, including therapeutic cloning, has mainly been argued on grounds of morality. Opponents†¦show more content†¦Not only is human cloning immoral but it may have negative utility--in other words, attempting to develop human cloning technologies for therapeutic use may drain resources and personnel from more useful and practical therapies. To understand why therapeutic cloning fails the utility test, we must take a quick look at the significant difficulties facing embryonic stem cell research. Embryonic stem cell researchers hope to create medical treatments that would use undifferentiated cells--known generically as stem cells--extracted from 5-to-7-day-old embryos known as blastocysts. During natural gestation, these stem cells eventually differentiate, that is, they transform into bone, neurons, muscle, organs, blood--indeed, all of the more than 200 different tissue types in the body. Researchers hope to learn how to harness this ability by extracting stem cells from embryos, transforming them into specific tissues, and then injecting the tissues into patients to treat medical ailments. In their enthusiasm for embryonic stem cells--and in an effort to assure ample funding for the research--some advocates have all but promised that such therapies are just around the corner. But that isnt even close to being true. Writing in the scientific research journal Stem Cells, editor in chief (and advocate of embryonic stem cell research) Curt I. Civin admitted that scientists have exaggerated the immediacy of the prospects of clinical therapiesShow MoreRelatedThe Debate Over Human Cloning Essay1526 Words   |  7 Pages Human cloning, an unknown wonder to the universe the world has yet to unfold. The idea of cloning can be a dream to some and others not so much, there’s just endless possibilities when it comes to cloning. With the thought of cloning humans comes reality and other things that can cause issues or keep the experiment stagnant. â€Å"Reality† includes the process of cloning humans, types of cloning, products of cloning, cost, and also ethical issues. Besides the issues and reality part of cloning, thisRead More Immorality of Human Cloning Essay1550 Words   |  7 Pages While human cloning has been a matter of science fiction for centuries, the prospect that it could actua lly happen is a recent development. On February 23, 1997, the birth of the first cloned sheep, Dolly, was announced. Since then, it seems that science has progressed faster than moral understanding. Each breakthrough in genetics presents us with both a promise and a dilemma. The promise is that we may soon be able to treat and prevent diseases such as cancer and Parkinson’s. The dilemma is thatRead MoreShould Cloning Be Allowed?872 Words   |  4 Pages Though many have agreed that cloning should not be further researched there are still those who believe otherwise. Why exactly do people believe that research on human cloning should be allowed? 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It seems that every day scientists come up with some new, perhaps even controversial, and exciting ways to improve the quality of life. These new technologies affect every aspect of life, as we know it. One such technology is the research being done in the area of cloning. Cloning is the production of one or more cells, individualRead MoreCloning, Pros and Cons Essay2998 Words   |  12 Pagescontinue to get worse. They may be waiting a year or longer. Is there another way to speed up the waiting process? Cloning as a Possibility? These situations and many others have brought up the topic of cloning. Cloning refers to any process that results in the creation of an identical or almost identical genetic copy of a molecule, cell, or individual plant, animal, or human (Wilson, 2002). Recently, it is being heavily researched for its potential uses. Some difficult questions arise with