The Pros of Therapeutic Cloning
Therapeutic Cloning
Nicolas Bender
English 101
Professor Schwertman
12-13-2011
Are you for or against human cloning? Before you answer this pertinent question, picture this. A loved one who is very dear to you is diagnosed with a serious disease such as muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s disease, or even diabetes. If they could be treated, cured or have their life saved by stem cells or the results of cloning research, would that change your answer? Cloning can be defined as creating “an identical copy of a plant or animal from the genetic material of a single organism” (Cloning).
There are two main types of human cloning, reproductive and therapeutic. Reproductive human cloning would essentially produce entire, living human beings, whereas therapeutic cloning would only produce parts or pieces such as tissue samples or organs needed for transplantation. The major debate over cloning is an ethical one. Would a clone have the same rights as the original? Would cloning result in a new form of slavery? Personally, I am not sure what the answers to these questions are. But regardless, therapeutic cloning should be allowed because humans are not being created, only the components needed to heal ailing patients. One major issue in regards to the cloning debate is the conjoining of the two separate types of cloning. The public sees cloning as the creation of a belated twin, which actually only describes reproductive cloning. When most people think about cloning they picture a mad scientist creating faux people in some dank, secret laboratory. In reality, this is about as far from the truth as one can get. Medical science is very far from creating actual people. However, we are much closer to discovering the necessary technology for producing cells and tissue samples essential for the treating, and possibly curing, of many debilitating diseases.
Stem cell research is a major part of indispensable advances in therapeutic cloning. “Stem cells are useful because of their
Nicolas Bender
English 101
Professor Schwertman
12-13-2011
Are you for or against human cloning? Before you answer this pertinent question, picture this. A loved one who is very dear to you is diagnosed with a serious disease such as muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s disease, or even diabetes. If they could be treated, cured or have their life saved by stem cells or the results of cloning research, would that change your answer? Cloning can be defined as creating “an identical copy of a plant or animal from the genetic material of a single organism” (Cloning).
There are two main types of human cloning, reproductive and therapeutic. Reproductive human cloning would essentially produce entire, living human beings, whereas therapeutic cloning would only produce parts or pieces such as tissue samples or organs needed for transplantation. The major debate over cloning is an ethical one. Would a clone have the same rights as the original? Would cloning result in a new form of slavery? Personally, I am not sure what the answers to these questions are. But regardless, therapeutic cloning should be allowed because humans are not being created, only the components needed to heal ailing patients. One major issue in regards to the cloning debate is the conjoining of the two separate types of cloning. The public sees cloning as the creation of a belated twin, which actually only describes reproductive cloning. When most people think about cloning they picture a mad scientist creating faux people in some dank, secret laboratory. In reality, this is about as far from the truth as one can get. Medical science is very far from creating actual people. However, we are much closer to discovering the necessary technology for producing cells and tissue samples essential for the treating, and possibly curing, of many debilitating diseases.
Stem cell research is a major part of indispensable advances in therapeutic cloning. “Stem cells are useful because of their
Cited: Bonsor, Kevin, and Cristen Conger. “How Human Cloning Will Work”. HowStuffWorks. Discovery Channel, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2011. Chan, Bill, et al. "Therapeutic cloning in individual parkinsonian mice." Nature Medicine 14.4 (2008): 379+. Academic OneFile. Web. 3 Dec. 2011. "Cloning." Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 3 Dec. 2011. Davies, Tim, Paul Fairchild, and Kathry Silk. "Embryonic stem cells: a medical dream? Modern biology sometimes raises difficult and controversial issues which affect the lives we lead and the environment in which we live. This column examines such ethical problems." Biological Sciences Review Sept. 2009: 28+. General OneFile. Web. 3 Dec. 2011. Ford, Gerald. "Human Reproductive Cloning Should Be Banned, but Therapeutic Cloning Should Be Allowed" Cloning. Sylvia Engdahl, Ed. Contemporary Issues Companion Series. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. 2006. Web. 3 Dec. 2011 Wasson, Gregg."Therapeutic Cloning Is Urgently Needed.” Cloning. Sylvia Engdahl, Ed. Contemporary Issues Companion Series. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. 2006. Web. 3 Dec. 2011