Attempt To Clone Humans example essay topic

Cloning is not new; experiments with frogs and toads go back to the 1970' with the experiments concerning animal and plant embryos have been preformed for many years. But experiments relating to humans have never been tried or considered possible, until "Dolly" (the first fully grown mammal to be cloned). A "human clone" is an identical twin of another human being but only at a younger age. Scientist use cloning techniques in their laboratory to make copies of cells or organisms with a valuable trait. Their focus aims to find reasonable applications for cloning that will make advances in medical breakthroughs, and biological research.

For the past few years the topic of cloning has been a very intense argument; human cloning is either "playing God" or (a scientific process). Even though there is a large amount noted on the ill outcome of human cloning, it could also be very valuable in our society. Wouldn't it be weird if a child were to grow up knowing that her mother is her sister, her grandmother is her mother, and her father was her brother-in-law? This can cause several emotional risks although this type of genetic selection may cause many sever risks. Every time her mother is to look at her, what she sees is herself growing up.

There is a lot of emotional pressure on a teenager who is trying to establish his / her identity. What if everyone was to clone? What would happen to our individuality? Cloning limits your genetic base because there are not enough individuals that would be the base of inherited material for the population. It would also stop the genetic progress since there is no combining of the genetic material and thus no opportunity to produce an animal that is superior to the parent. What if the child knows that he / she is the clone and now the identical twin of a dead sister / brother ?

What kind of pressure do you think that would put on the child, knowing they were made as a direct replacement for another? This child will not be the same in all ways as the other was, regardless of what the parents were hoping. One important concern is because this child will be brought up in an unusual household where unhappiness has been diverted into making a clone of the dead brother / sister instead of just adjusting to their loss. Now this child will be going through great pressures on his / her emotional development. Although cloning has been flaunted as a victory, the cloning method is not yet perfect. It took 277 attempts before Dolly was created as a healthy lamb.

Human cloning has high potentials for errors (Human Cloning the Process, 2005). Making it far more complicated to clone a human. As a result, scientists fear that applying this method to humans may lead to malformations or diseases in the human. People feel they cannot trust the scientist. Physicians that are from the "American Medical Association" and scientist with the "American Association for the Advancement of Science" have issued official public statements advising against human reproductive cloning. Many scientists and physicians believe very strongly that it would be unethical to attempt to clone a human (web).

There are approximately 30 percent of clones that are born alive that are affected with "large offspring syndrome" and other debilitating conditions (web 2005). There have been many cloned animals that have died prematurely from infections and other complications. This concerns scientist from a disease respective with concerned to humans being cloned. Scientists don't know how this cloning process will impact the cognitive development and physical development in humans. These are not too big of concerns when it comes down to a cow, or a lamb, but even more important when it comes down to the human development. Because of these concerns when it comes to cloning, the attempt to clone humans at this point in time is considered dangerous and ethically irresponsible.

This cloning process is very expensive and highly inefficient. "There are more then 90 percent of cloning attempts that fail to produce viable offspring" (Statistics Canada, 2002). In addition to low success rates, the cloned animal tends to have a more compromised immune function and higher rates of infection, tumour growth, and many more other disorders. In Japanese studies, they found that cloned mice live in poor health and die early. About a third of the cloned calves born alive have died young as well, and were abnormally large (web). They also found that if an animal is born healthy that doesn't mean they will have a long-term survival.

Clones seem to die strangely. For example, Australia's first cloned sheep appeared healthy and energetic on the day she dies, and the result from her autopsy failed to determine a cause of death (web). There are very strong arguments that go against cloning. Yet there are also good reasons to agree with cloning. There are many individuals that support and believe that with cloning, it gives the infertile couples the chance to have children. The current treatments that they have for the infertile are not very successful treatments are less than ten percent successful.

These couples that are infertile go through many physically and emotionally painful procedures for a very small chance of having a child. Many couples seem to run out of money and time without actually having the child (Human Cloning, 2005). Cloning could give create the opportunity for massive medical breakthroughs. Clones could supply for many valuable transplant opportunities For example, if there is a clone that was made up from a die ing child that needs a bone marrow transplant, it would be a great match. His clone could be used as a donor without a significant risk.

The result would be great, two healthy children that are identical twins at different ages. Another remarkable medical breakthrough would be to enable doctors "to determine the cause of spontaneous abortions, give oncologists a good understanding of the rapid cell growth of cancer, allow the use of stem cells to regenerate nerve tissue, and advance work on aging, genetics, and medicines" (Wachbroit, 1997)". It is thought that there may one day be a cure for cancer. This is because the cloning process helps us understand the process of cell differentiation" (British Organ Donor Society). Scientists believe that they may be able to treat heart attack victims by cloning their healthy heart cells.

The cloning of the organs would eliminate people waiting on a list for an organ transplant. This could also help for burn victims with skin graphing, brain cells for brain damage, lungs, and livers. "With this technology and with human cloning technology it could be possible to produce needed tissue for suffering people that will be free of rejection by their immune systems" (British Organ Donor Society). A current issue in Canada involves the horticultural industry. The United States has placed a ban on the import of Canadian beef as a result of the "Mad Cow" disease. Cloning would provide the opportunity to ensure that all beef going into the United States is free of diseases and viruses.

Cloning would provide the means of generically cloning the cow's cells; scientists could generically alter the animals' new traits so that they could resist diseases. Cloning could be performed on animals of all forms (i.e. fishes, poultry), to downsize the chance of spreading food diseases to the human race. Both sides being scientific and ethical have both very strong arguments. Yes, there are some risks with trying something new and different. But if people didn't take risks we wouldn't be were we are today, there wouldn't be a cure for Polio, or any other diseases. As we become more knowledgeable we are able to find new cures, and new medicines.

It makes us think, are we playing God? Or are we just scientists using the mind God gave us? I do not feel that cloning should just be used on an everyday basis; it should be used in moderation. Even though we would have the skill to "raise the dead" we should still treasure the importance of human life.

Bibliography

web Encarta 2004.