Cloning Between Science and Morality: DR Bachiri

Dr Bachiri
Cloning between Science and Morality
One of the greatest introductions to the scientific world in recent times must surely be the introduction
of Dolly, a sheep in Britain. Dolly is no ordinary sheep. It is an exact replicate, genetically of another
adult sheep. The successful cloning of Dolly has captured the imagination of a worldwide community.
Its implications are simply mind-boggling.
Cloning extraordinarily made history in 1997 when scientists successfully cloned a sheep. The new
sheep's name was Dolly, and she was not born in the usual manner. Instead, she became an exact copy
of her mother, similar to an identical twin. It would be nearly the same as taking the DNA from the
son of a mother, placing the DNA in the egg cell of another woman, but first removing the woman's
own DNA, and then allow the growth of the new cell in the woman. Nine months later there would be
an exact copy of the mother's son born to the woman.
In the case of cloning, a father is not needed. In the first successful cloning of an animal the DNA
molecule had all of the information needed to create a clone, Dolly. The DNA molecules contain the
genetic code, which is basically a direction for the new offspring. Normally, a new organism gets half
of this code from the father and the other half from the mother. When these two cells are joined
together they divide millions of times and then grow into the millions of cells which form the body of
the animal. Each cell of the body has a copy of the genetic code and all it would need is an egg cell to
grow.
Pioneering experiments had begun as early as in 1970, when a team led by John Gurdon at the
University of Cambridge transplanted nuclei from the skin cells of adult frogs into frog eggs lacking
their own nuclei. While some grew into tadpoles, none reached adulthood. Wilmut says the key to his
success lies in the unique way his team manipulates the cells.
Now that an adult sheep has been cloned, there appears no reason why we could not do the same with
humans. Scientists can select a cell from a human donor, fuse it with an unfertilized egg and implant it
into a surrogate mother's womb. However, we are not there yet. Working out the biochemistry and
limits of this `reprogramming of cells' will keep the researchers busy for years. Nobody knows for sure
whether clones could be made with any human adult cell. "Brain and muscle cells are probably so
specialized that you can't reset their clocks," says Wilmut.
1
The idea itself is truly amazing and it is not impossible. However, some people feel a kind of horror
about producing clones. In Britain, there is already a law against human cloning. In the States, the
government is reviewing the implications of the breakthrough. President Clinton has said, "I believe
we must respect this profound gift (human life) and resist the temptation to replicate ourselves." If
human cloning is possible, these are the ethical questions that need to be considered. `Who would
assume responsibility for her welfare? Who would be her parents and how would she cope
psychologically and socially?'
On the other hand, there are also interesting possibilities. "In many ways cloning could offer enormous
benefits," says one scientist. "You could clone from an adult or a child who is sick to produce cells
that can be used to repair the individual's damaged tissues." Potentially, scientists could even create
brain-dead copies of humans as sources of perfectly-matched organs transplants. Even then there are
objections to this. If brain-dead clones were nurtured and used as organ banks, "This would radically
change the nature of what it is like to be human."
The breakthrough that Dolly has achieved has been described as 'one giant leap into the unknown'.
"Most of the things this technique will be used for have not yet been imagined," says Wilmut.
Nevertheless, with all the heated debate that it has generated, it seems apparent that mankind is not
ready to face a real living human clone yet.
Cloning could be used for many positive purposes. It could help in research on cancer, organ donation,
contraception, and brain damage. Parents at risk of passing on genetic defects could have children
without fear. Infertile couples wouldn’t have to use the services of a sperm or egg donor; same-sex
couples could reproduce together. The parents of a dead child could have a genetic copy of it made.
Critics of cloning raise issues that are more part of the debate on genetic engineering and science
fiction, suggesting that nefarious scientists might use cloning to create a master race.
Some critics dislike the idea of manipulating human reproduction, preferring to believe that all
humans are the result of entirely natural processes and ignoring the many cases of genetic engineering
and assisted reproduction among humans, from in vitro fertilization to choosing to have children in an
attempt to get offspring of a particular sex.
Ultimately, reproduction is an intensely personal issue, and for that reason, the government doesn’t
interfere in most reproductive choices, including adoption and surrogacy. The creation of a family is
always a fertile ground for dysfunction, unjustified expectations, and hurtful behavior. A cloned child,
though conceived in an unusual way, would ultimately be just a child, and its parents just parents.
Reference:
The Life of Dolly. (online article) https://dolly.roslin.ed.ac.uk/facts/the-life-of-dolly

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