Cloning is a method of reproducing by which a new organism, genetically identical to the one intended to be cloned, can be obtained asexually. The first attempts to clone animals appeared in the 1930s. A new stage was defined by the experiments of Scottish scientists, culminating in the birth of the sheep Dolly (Small, 2018). This achievement paved the way for human cloning, which poses many unresolved problems to science. The desire to get effective treatment technologies as soon as possible led to the clinical use of stem cells and is far ahead of the fundamental developments in studying the mechanisms of their action. Medical and ethical experts are increasingly questioning the health safety of using stem cell lines; on the other hand, many sick people who follow this issue have high hopes for this potentially revolutionary course of treatment. As long as cloning is used for limited medical purposes, it is for human benefit. Patients are the main stakeholders, clones of some organs could save their lives, and they would not have to wait years for donation.
The main argument to protect the industry is that stem cell research will assist scientists in learning how to grow cells and tissues to treat disease. Over the years, experts have shown that they can induce these cells and differentiate them into many different cell types. Therefore, an achievement can be expected soon that will enable scientists to create new, healthy cells and tissues for transplantation to replace damaged or dead tissue. (Iqbal, et al., 2020). Thus, the development of the cloning industry for medical purposes will provide a chance for many people to recover.
Cloning animals is extremely profitable for pharmaceutical companies. It will create ‘living’ drug factories, and at the same time, can reduce the cost of medicines (Small, 2018). In this way, firms will have access to affordable cloning technology, and ordinary citizens will be capable of receiving life-saving drugs. Examples of such cloning include pigs which can be used to produce organs suitable for humans. Thus, it can be concluded that companies satisfy both their own interests, making a profit, and the interests of people who get a chance for a second life.
References
Iqbal, R. K., BiBi, S., Muneer, S., BiBi, S., & Anwar, F. N. (2020). Ethical issues of human cloning. Journal of Medical Sciences, 40(3), 103.
Small, C. (2018). Cloning. Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC.