Medical Ethics

The
2

Ethics of
Cloning
Casey Jon G. Vea
Casey Jon G. Vea
Discussion
Definition of
1 Define cloning in a multidisciplinary way. The origin
Cloning
of the word, the usage and the science behind it.

History
2 The beginning of cloning and the progress
in the field of cloning

Pros and Cons of Human

3 The many medical benefits and disadvantages of cloning and its
Cloning
technology

Ethics
4 The ethical issues and considerations regarding the science
of human cloning

Cloning in
5 The use of cloning technology in medicine including
Medicine
therapeutic cloning and for reproduction
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1 Definition of
Cloning
Derived from the Greek word Klonos
Branch
Process by which a genetically identical copy of a certain
bacteria , plant or animal is produced by asexiual
reproduction

Clone was coined by JBS Holdone in

1963
Used it in his speech Biological possibilities of the human
species of the nextthons and ten years

When we talk about what do we

mean by human cloning?
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1 Definition of
Cloning
Various groups and organizations define
the word differently.

The production of
genetically identical
organisms
- American Medical Association
 1
1 Definition of
Cloning

Process by which a somatic cell nucleus is transferred into the existing body
of an oocyte from which the nucleus was removed
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1 Definition of
Cloning

Production of tissues and organs by increasing cell or

tissue cultures with current production of embryos
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1 Definition of
Cloning
Understand: Cloning does not produce
an exact copy of the person cloned

It copies it self and creates a duplicate

DNA/genes
Person will not be a Xerox copy

He or she will grow in an environment with

different experiences and
opportunities
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1 Definition of
Cloning

Genetics does not define a

person or personality in its
entirety
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1 History

Non-
mammalian
cloning was
achieved

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1 History

DNA genetic
code has
been decoded

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1 History

Roe vs Wade
was won

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1 History

The human
genome in 23
chromosomes
were released

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1 History

Dolly the
sheep, the
first cloned
mammal, was
born in July 5,
1996

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1 History

Dolly the
sheep died
after 6 years

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1 History

Human
Cloning
Prohibition
act

Cloning is
illegal in 29
countries

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1 The Pros and
Cons
There are many medical benefits and
disadvantages of cloning and its
technology
Benefits Disadvantag
es
Renew activity of Reduction in gene
damaged tissues and variability decreases
grow them ability to adapt
Ability to grow
genetically identical to Mixing of genes makes
donor organs reproductive
Studying cell characteristics
differentiation undesirable
Many logistics,
Sterile couples to have
economic and technical
children
barriers
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1 The Pros and
Cons
Disadvantag
es
Cloning technology not well
developed

Clones may be treated as

second degree citizens

Human rights as human

being?
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1 Ethics

Clones will have the same characteristics

and personalities as the person cloned.

Clones are physically identical to the donor

and his or her behavior

Cloning will lead to the loss of individuality

eventually
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1 Ethics

Major ethical concern: The Use of

Many socio-legal issues related to human embryo.
Embryos
Abortion, fertilization in vitro research on human
embryos, research on stem cells, cloning and
genetic engineering are substantative issues of
human embryology C. Ward Kischer

Goes back to the debate on the start of life

Roe vs Wade
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1 Ethics

Embryos are only used for research if:

The purpose of the research can not be

achieved by other methods
The embryos have reached more than 14-
18 days of development
Embryos are not treated as personal
properties

With harvesting Stem cells, the

embryo is formed by cloning practical
killed
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1 Ethics

Cannot reduce the human embryo to a cell

as embryo is a carrier of life

Legalization of human cloning is in the center

of global debate

Some business people might think of

trading human life for profit
- American Association of Pro-
Life
Obstetrician and Gynecologists
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1 Ethics

Another concern: their status in

Only for therapy?
Society?

Many countries lean only into accepting cloning

only for therapeutic purposes only.
Primary objective for funding for such program should be for
finding cures for incurable disease.

Some states: Spain, Italy, Philippines, USA,

Costa Rica and Israel have tried to expand
the debate on all forms of human cloning
In their view, therapeutic cloning violates human dignity
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1 Ethics
The Catholic church under Pope Benedict
XVI has condemned the practice of cloning,
saying it represents

a grave offense against human

dignity and equality among the
people

Human cloning is prohibited in Islam at the

10th Conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Human Cloning is Haraam (forbidden by
the faith-sin)
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1 Cloning in
Medicine

Two medically important kind of cloning:

Reproductive cloning which

creates an exact copy of a plant or animal

Therapeutic Cloning which uses

stem cells to create organs and tissues
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1 Cloning in
Medicine
Reproductive Cloning
This type of cloning is hard to perform
successfully
Clone had many health problems

Creation of human clones

Clones will help develop new treatments

for diseases, both animal and human
beings.

Ethical Issue:
Can affect the psychological health of cloned
person
Morally objectionable to clone a person with serious
genetic disease for the sake of science or learning
The principle of non-maleficence seems to be at risk
if proceeded.
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1 Cloning in
Medicine
Therapeutic Cloning
Cloning stem cells to create tssuies for
transplant or disease treatment
Does not result in human being
Can potentially reduce tremendous
amount of suffering in the world

Ethical Issue:
Involves destruction of embryos