Human cloning refers to the action of creating a copy of an individual which is genetically identical, though it can also be used to describe the reproduction of a human cell or tissue. The possibility of such an action is surrounded by a lot of controversy with the debater’s main concern being grounded on ethical issues. The ethical concerns may have won over as in 2015 about 70 countries ban human cloning. Take a look at WritersDepartment.com if you need a freelance job.
There are two types of human cloning which have been considered. Cloning for therapeutic purposes is the first kind and it involves the cloning of human cells for medicines or transplants. The second kind of cloning is done for reproductive purposes, and involves the creation of an entire human.
The Ethical Debate Surrounding Human Cooling
Bioethics refers to a range of ethical positions and concerns regarding both the practice and the possibility of cloning. There are many views which are dominated by religious concerns though the ethical argument does include a secular perspective as well. It should also be noted that while human cloning is not utilized at the moment animal cloning is.
Advocates of cloning support the concept of human cloning due to its various medical benefits such as the ability to avoid immunosuppressive drugs. While their support for reproductive cloning is based on the argument that parents who cannot procreate should be able to access the technology.
Opposition to these methods are linked to the embryonic stem cells, and is thus closely related to the abortion debate. They are also concerned the reproductive cloning has not been developed enough and it is therefore unsafe to perform the procedure. Some communities such as the American Association for the Advancement of Science are also concerned that it could be abused.
There is some division amongst the religious groups as the monotheistic traditions argue the technology gives humans the power that only God has a right to, and the use of embryos destroys human life which they believe to be a punishable action. While others argue that the life saving benefits of therapeutic cloning out weights the risks.
Human Cloning And Its Laws
In 2001, the UN General Assembly expanded on an international convention which argued against the idea of human reproductive cloning. A variety of states including Spain, the United States and Italy sought to extend all the debates regarding cloning and take a step to ban t7he action, arguing that it violates human dignity. Then in March 2005, the UN issued a declaration on human cloning which called for the prohibition of every form of the cloning, of humans that violated a human’s dignity.
Human cloning is a matter which will likely to be debated for years to come because while there are certainly advantages to it, the religious and ethical concerns are, and always will be, an issue.