Biomedical Ethics: Assignment Week 2

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Chapter 6

Proposals for Human Cloning: A Review and Ethical

Evaluation

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What is a Clone?

• Cloning requires the ability to produce cells that are totipotent. This means that the cell can access genes to make different kinds of cells.

• Clones are divided into two categories: – Reproductive clones – Research clones

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Benefits of Research Clones

• Benefits include creating tissues, organs, or other treatments that can be matched to individual patients or diseases.

• Creating cloned embryonic stem cell models for research on specific human diseases and how they arise during development.

• Using cloned embryonic stem cells for research on human reproduction and development in general.

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Human Cloning for Research Purposes

• The goal of research cloning is to create stem cell lines.

• Cells may be able to be separated to form new stem cell lines.

• These lines will be used to study specific diseases.

• Interventions can be identified from this research.

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Human Cloning for Research Purposes

• The stem cell lines might be used to create transplantable tissue.

• Even if this is not achieved, the use of stem cell lines from clones could add to the body of knowledge.

• Benefits are speculative at this point.

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Human Cloning for Research Purposes

• A new technique is now available to induce pluripotency to adult cells.

• These cells are called iPSCs and mimic the patterns found in embryonic cells.

• This discovery has enabled scientists to reprogram a variety of human cells.

• This research could lead to patient-specific treatment of disease.

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Human Cloning for Reproductive Purposes

• Safety will be a critical issue in reproductive cloning.

• Cloning could become an ART option. • Reproductive cloning might redefine what it

means to have one’s own child. • Genetic reductionism is a concern.

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Ethical Issues in Human Cloning

• There is controversy regarding the public’s support or lack of support for stem cell and cloning research.

• Cloning produces embryos without the use of sperm.

• Knowing this is important to the argument that stem cell research destroys embryos.

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Ethical Issues in Human Cloning

• Some argue that embryos produced by cloning do not have the same moral standing as a human fetus.

• This raises issues about different status for different human organisms based on intent of use.

• However, many recognize the benefits of stem cell research.

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Ethical Issues in Human Cloning

• The ANT and iPSCs techniques may create stem cell lines without destruction of human embryos.

• Proponents would say we need all forms of research to achieve answers or treatments.

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Attention to Faulty Assumptions

• While research could be done that investigates diseases, it is limited by the harm it does to humans.

• What is good for research may not be what is good for society.

• Human cloning research may not lead to earlier treatment of diseases.

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What is the Goal?

• If the goal is to treat those with terrible diseases, then resources should be shifted to delivery and prevention.

• However, biomedical research also benefits society.

• Decisions must be made regarding the nature of research, benefits, and limitations.

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Other Ethical Issues

• The risk to women from harvesting human eggs for cloning research is great.

• Many groups have raised ethical issues with this practice.

• Given the risks, it must be proven that what is good for science is good for society.

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Other Ethical Issues

• Issues about cloning for reproduction include a decision about the right to have genetically- related offspring.

• One needs to consider this situation in light of the morality of a society.

• Society can decide if cloning is a right or not based on its collective morality.

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Other Ethical Issues

• Another argument is that if we do not do this research, other countries will.

• The history of the effects of jumping to technology too soon needs to be considered.

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In Summary…

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