Specialists have yet to clone a human being, but the topic has become controversial among people armed with limited information about the cloning process. The definition of cloning in the Encyclopedia Britannica is the process of generating a genetically identical copy of a cell or an organism (Cloning…, 2018). The question for many of us is what does this mean? Is this obsession of defying nature’s way, the man portraying GOD-like entitlements? Are the medical innovations our salvation or our annihilation? Creating genetically identical clones or the perfect being can become conflicting, but also seems to alleviate apprehensions of extinction. The chance of immortality by using an identical copy of a person or by growing specific body parts to be used as needed is undeniably intriguing and worth exploring further. Doing so, however may have the potential of diminishing human value, especially when one can be brought back or replaced with our own genetic double.
Scientists have been engaging in cloning experiments for decades, nevertheless, it was not the focus of the people until the cloning of Dolly the sheep. As stated in (GSLC, 2014), Dolly was the first mammal created by Professor Wilmut and Campbell in 1996 at The Roslin Institute by means of using somatic cell nuclear transfer. These experiments were carried out with a group of scientists, embryologists, surgeons, vets and farm staff (GSLC, 2014). In addition, the GSLC included a list of prior attempts recorded as far back as 1885, demonstrating artificial embryo twinning by Driesch through Mitalipov’s 2013 human embryonic stem cells engendered by somatic cell nuclear transfer (GSLC, 2014). Furthermore, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) augmented subjects to include other mammals that have been cloned from somatic cells such as cats, deer, dogs, horses, mules, oxen, rabbits and rats (NHGRI, 2017).
The boon and bane of cloning, many would say, aren’t transparent. With the bad also comes the good and sometimes differentiating the two becomes complex because of the potential outcomes it entails. There is plenty of things to consider with this obsession of creating clones, aka artificial twins. On the positive end of the spectrum, medical benefits like growing and transplanting organs, infertility, and death may all be improved or eliminated altogether. On the other end however, things such as cost, physical dangers, and moral ethics also become a high impacting factor.
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Let’s keep in mind the process, as it is still being tested and experimented with. For a broader picture of the implications of continuous trial and error research, one should refer to Dolly’s experimental case, the only clone to be born live out of 277 embryos (NHGRI, 2017). The reproductive failures, despite progress play a part in the unraveling of the studies. Collectively gathered, the safety of human donors becomes concerning, raising major drawbacks. “The Genetic Science Learning Center estimates that the success rate of cloning ranges from only 0.1 percent to 3 percent” (GSLC, 2014). Donors can get ill or die from these trials. Moral ethics come into play when hundreds of pregnancies must be created before a successful clone is developed (Rugnetta & Quinonez, 2014).
They also must invest a large number of monies, as cloning human’s costs ranges in the millions (Herper, 2001). That doesn’t include any potential malpractice costs it might accrue during the studies. Participation in producing designer babies also pulls on your pocket and the strings of morality and a person’s ethics. The fixation of making the perfect human is a dilemma to many and their religious beliefs because GOD is the only, natural creator, yet not saying goodbye to a loved one is enticing.
Many might conclude that humans are “playing God” by creating artificial life, tweaking genetics to benefit mankind and even reproducing the dead as a way of making themselves “immortal” (Cohen, 1999). Making the perfect human by choosing the eye color, height, and sex seemed impossible from a technical perspective, but scientists have broken through barriers using cloning techniques; highlighting the probability of creating a better version of yourself and with it, a possible forever. The chance to live beyond your time with the help of science, using reproductive and therapeutic cloning seems to be the answer to a different outcome to an otherwise fatal ending.
In an article produced by NHGRI, it has been stated that three cloning methods are being used; the reproductive, therapeutic and gene cloning produces. The gene cloning makes copies of genes, the reproductive cloning procedure duplicates the entire body and therapeutic cloning creates primary stem cells for experimentations designed to generate tissues (NHGRI, 2017). Using these techniques have led to positive breakthrough’s mentioned in Garbutt’s brief summary of Dr. Steen Wiladsen’s, The Role of the Scientist is to Break the Laws of Nature (Garbutt, n.d.); gives examples of growth experiments on skin for the burn victims, brain cells for the brain-damaged, and vital human organs. In the future, other problems may be made curable if human cloning and its technology are not banned (Garbutt, n.d.).
Another positive benefit is the end of “Infertility: Infertile people or same-sex couples could have children made from cloned cells” (Brenner, 2018). Furthermore, parents that have lost a child can have that child returned to them with a clone (Quinonez, 2014). The possibilities become endless as so much more has transpired from simply splitting cells. These experimental probabilities led Shanghai scientists to create identical macaques in 2017, using an improved modern version of somatic cell transfer (SCNT) that made Dolly/ bringing scientist a step closer to human cloning (Christensen, 2018).
In beginning, this research, mixed feelings about cloning embodied my way of thinking, but as the positive outcomes began to outweigh the negative aspects of the topic, I have come to understand the importance of continuing the study behind cloning for our future generations. Knowing that our children will have better medical treatments, and the chance to live a longer, healthier life seems to be a goal we would all agree on. Is it scary to imagine humans being herded like cattle and becoming tools? Yes, however, not everything accomplished in this world has been without getting our hands dirty or struggling with moral divergence. Whatever viewpoint you have sided with, the miracle in a petri dish or natures miracle, humanity is a complex blessing that’s worth saving. Ultimately, the thought of living forever or at least a more comfortable life shows our humanity and curiosity of the unknown.
References
- Brenner, L. (2018, July 20). The pros & cons of cloning. Sciencing. Retrieved from https://sciencing.com/pros-cons-cloning-5453902.html
- Christensen, J. (2018, Jan 25). Monkey see, monkey 2. Turner Broadcasting System. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/24/health/cloned-monkeys-study/index.html
- COHEN, J. R. (1999). In God’s garden. The Hastings Center Report, 29(4), 7. Nursing and Allied Health Collection. Retrieved from: http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A55738977/PPNU?u=edirect_gvrl&sid=PPNU&xid=f38fcf31
- Garbutt, K. (n.d.). Pros: The role of the scientist is to break the laws of nature. West Virginia University. Retrieved from http://www.as.wvu.edu/~kgarbutt/EvolutionPage/Studentsites/cloningpage/PROS2.html
- [bookmark: _Hlk535273588]Genetic Science Learning Center. (2014, July 10). The history of cloning. Learn. Genetics. Retrieved from: https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/cloning/clonezone/
- Herper, M. (2001). We cloned you. Now, here’s the bill. Forbes Media LLC. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/2001/06/29/0629clone.html#3e2130d36797
- National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). (2017, March 21). Cloning. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from: https://www.genome.gov/25020028/
- [bookmark: _Hlk535419952]Quinonez, N. (2014, MAY 26). The pros and cons of cloning: Is it worth the risk? Udemy, Inc. Retrieved from https://blog.udemy.com/pros-and-cons-of-cloning/
- Rugnetta, M. (2018, July 12). Cloning genetics. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved from: https://www.britannica.com/science/cloning
