Ethical Issues in Cloning
Cloning is awash with a number of ethical questions about the rights of science to create life. Since Dolly the Sheep became the first mammal cloned from an adult cell in 1996, the process has developed steadily, including the possibility to clone extinct animals. By the early 21st century, human cloning was possible. However, questions remain about the full ramifications and long-term effects of cloning.
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Cloning will most likely ultimately allow infertile couples to conceive a child; this can be done using the DNA of one or both of the parents. However, Dr. Severino Antinori, a fertility physician, believes that cloning would limit the amount of people adopting children.
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Significance
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According to Robert Taylor from the Center for Genetics and Society, cloning could lead to changes in society due to the creation of super humans. The birth of people with higher intelligence or athletic skill would lead to fewer variations of humans.
Potential
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Advanced Cell Technology, a lab in Worcester, Massachusetts, works with cloning to find cures for diseases. Specifically, the organization clones stem cells for the purpose of regenerative medicine. Stem cells are culled from discarded fetuses, bringing the ethical issue of when human life begins into question. Since the 2002 ban on human cloning by the Bush administration, funding for research has been limited.
Considerations
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Since cloning requires the creation of a life from the DNA of another life, many religious groups question its morality. An organization named Activated Ministries addresses the concerns of humans "playing God."
Warning
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If scientists were able to clone humans, a number of litigious arguments could be made about whether the clone was a person with the same rights as those born in a traditional manner. Lawsuits would most likely be brought to court protecting the rights of a clone from testing that is illegal for traditional humans. Greater ethical questions would also arise from the death of clones in the name of science.
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