Ethical issues of human cloning

Abstract

Cloning can help us in the research field and medical sciences. But due to ethical and moral values, this idea is not supported. Moreover, it is against ethical values as well. According to modern studies, Human moral values are preferred rather than emotions, but they cannot be ignored. Despite the progress in the stem cell culture, it is still unable to avail the therapeutic benefits. It is said that cloning could be done in the near future, and it is closer to the reality and away from science fiction. Cloning can be carried out by two techniques termed as the somatic cell nuclear transfer and cell mass division. The cloned animal products obtained by the somatic cell nuclear transfer can be used, as they cause no harm and are safe as the noncloned animal products are. Certain harms are related to the twin's growth produced by the cloning procedure that also reinforces on the inhibition of human cloning, as it causes the psychological distress and destroys the universality of an individual, as well as certain ethical and moral values despite which human clones cannot be made. In somatic cell cloning the nucleus (nuclear mass/DNA) can solve many health problems for example organ transplantation, or organ rejection issues. Resulting of all these give rise to a great controversy that either clone of human beings should be produced or not. Although in the near future, the possibility of human clones and their use for different purposes cannot be ignored.

Keywords

• cell mass division
• dolly sheep
• human embryo
• somatic cell nuclear transfer