Background
Cloning of human embryos, also known as reproductive cloning, refers to purposefully producing individuals who are genetically identical to one another. Every single freshly created person is an exact copy of the pioneering specimen. Identical twins, also known as monozygotic twins, are natural clones. Every cell in a clone’s body has a nucleus, which is the component of the cell that houses the chromosomes. Within every clone’s cell nucleus is an identical set of genetic material. Therefore, the nuclei of cells derived from two clones have the same DNA and the same genes. The “factories” that produce energy are called mitochondria, present in all cells, including eggs (Segers et al 69). These structures can be found in a cell’s cytoplasm, which is the part of the cell that is not the nucleus. Mitochondria are autonomously reproducing organelles that carry their DNA and can replicate on their own. This paper will describe and address the prompts involved in reproductive cloning, such as the overview of the events, the parties involved, values, motivations, etc.
Summary of Events
Conventional researchers realized that it was challenging to clone human embryos or even embryos of nonhuman monkey species. These researchers were not looking to expand their families in any way. They were aiming to make human embryos that has been cloned. If they were successful, they wished to keep the embryos alive for a sufficient amount of time to derive human embryonic stem cell lines from the embryos. These cell lines would be helpful for research and could be essential for clinical applications (Segers et al 68). Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) was used in the cloning process. Chromosomes were removed from an egg to make an enucleated egg. Somatic cells from the individual or embryo to be cloned were used to replace the chromosomes.
Researchers have found that cloned sheep and other mammals have some health problems. Birth abnormalities in the liver, brain, or heart are among the most common, as are larger-than-normal babies. Premature aging and immune system issues are other possible side effects. From the follow-up, it was determined that despite several highly publicized statements to the contrary, human cloning appears to be a fantasy (Segers et al 68). There is currently no credible scientific evidence suggesting that anyone has successfully cloned human embryos. Recently, scientists in South Korea asserted that they had successfully cloned a human embryo (Dukanovic 23). However, they stated that the experiment was terminated exceptionally early on when the clone was only comprised of a group of four cells.
Parties involved
Governments and non-governmental organizations from various countries have been involved in this process. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has been used globally for the governance of reproductive cloning. There are legitimate norms, regulations, institutions, and procedures managed at the global governance level (Langlois 2). These are the mechanisms by which any collectivity, on any scale, from the local to the international, can control the cloning of its members.
Values and Motivations
The primary motivation for cloning embryos was to facilitate the mass creation of genes with desirable properties, such as those that would result in an orchid that would win a prize or human embryos that had been genetically modified. The researchers discussed the preliminary results of their work using lambs that had been genetically modified to produce human insulin. However, cloning embryos for reproduction was inherently risky. Some specialists believe that no clones are entirely healthy (Langlois 3). At least 95 percent of mammalian cloning operations resulted in failures, such as miscarriages, stillbirths, and life-threatening defects.
Informed Consent
The researchers obtained proper informed consent from the study participants. It was done to ensure the researcher that the subject was fully informed of the trial’s methods and treatments, It was also done to evaluate the possible outcomes, benefits, and hazards, informed consent was sought. Additionally, the research team benefited from informed consent as a result. This trial’s enrollment process relied heavily on informed consent because it provided prospective participants with all of the details they needed to know about the study they were offering their time. There was a detailed description of the machinery and the time it would take to access the embryo and extract the nucleus from it in the agreement. Subjects may not grasp what they’re getting into if they do not give their informed consent.
Study Participants
From research, the patients were not forced to participate in the study; nonetheless, they were required to sign a waiver, or their family members did so on their behalf. It is detailed why these particular people decided to participate in the study and how specific individuals were picked for the study. Every individual who agreed to participate in human reproductive cloning was entitled to the same protection as those who decided to participate in any other research.
Scientists Prosecution
In my opinion, the researchers who took part in the cloning of human embryos were placed under a significant less amount of ethical and professional stress. For instance, a few researchers claim that they are on the verge of taking the decisive next step and generating a cloned human being. Cloning is a controversial topic because of ethical concerns. It was concluded that human reproductive cloning would be ethically justifiable in at least some cases.
The Necessity of the Interventions
The cloning intervention was necessary and appropriate for the problems they were meant to address. For instance, cloning gave a chance to children for infertile couples. Cloning could assist infertile couples who are hoping to start a family. At present, things are difficult for those married couples. The solution is referred to as “in vitro fertilization,” and it entails the removal of a single egg cell from the woman’s ovary and its subsequent placement in a dish, where it is fertilized by a single sperm cell from the man. After the egg cell has been fertilized, it is next implanted into the mother’s uterus. Using this method will undoubtedly result in a successful outcome.
Alternatives for Ethical Considerations
In my opinion, the procedures for cloning should have followed the safety and effectiveness of the process, cloning for deleterious embryonic stem cell research, the impacts of reproductive cloning on the child/parent connection, and the commercialization of human life as a research product. These are the things that should have been considered (Häyry 15). This option may have resolved the ethical concerns that are unique to human cloning.
Future considerations for the Activity
The organization should continue pursuing these activities. One of the most compelling benefits of reproductive cloning is the potential to increase the number of children a couple can have. Individuals or couples who cannot conceive could nonetheless have a child who is genetically linked to them (Jena and Malakar 1564). Cloning embryos for the purpose of reproduction could present a fresh opportunity for would-be parents to achieve their reproductive objectives or aims.
Legal/ Systematic Projections
The commodification of human existence, genetic harm to the clone, health hazards to the mother, a low rate of success meaning the loss of many embryos, and psychological injury to the clone (Hayry 17). These are the potential drawbacks of cloning. Additionally, one of the ethical concerns that could limit the use of reproductive cloning is the complexity of the changes that could be made to familial connections.
Works Cited
Dukanovic, Andela. “Regulation of Reproductive Cloning and Inheritable Genetic Modifications on Humans-Perils and Deficiencies.” J. Crimin. & Crim. L. 59 (2021): 23.
Häyry, Matti. “Ethics and cloning.” British Medical Bulletin 128.1 (2018): 15-21.
Jena, M. K., and D. Malakar. “Handmade cloning: a handy technique for reproductive cloning.” Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research 9.9 (2017): 1564.
Langlois, Adèle. “The global governance of human cloning: the case of UNESCO.” Palgrave communications 3.1 (2017): 1-8.
Segers, Seppe, et al. “In vitro gametogenesis and reproductive cloning: Can we allow one while banning the other?” Bioethics 33.1 (2019): 68-75.