Cloning: Where Is My Double?

Cloning: Where Is My Double?

Cloning: Where Is My Double?

"Mary had a little lamb, it fleece was slightly gray. It did not have a father, just some borrowed DNA" (Pence xv, par. 1). According to the article ("Cloning Milestones"), Dr. Hans Spemann visualized cloning back, in 1938 (121). Historical events from 1938 to 2005, provides evidence, that cloning is no longer a vision. Cloning is today's reality. The medical evolution related to the technology of cloning has generated ethical, moral and religious debates for decades. Discussions regarding cloning have frequently failed to differentiate between the potential advantages of the technology and the possible misuses. The promising benefits that cloning may offer would be welcomed by those who suffer from immobilizing diseases. Instead of prohibiting cloning, the federal government should possible provide assistance to uncover the prospective applications of the technology. Therefore, as a society, an implied question should perhaps be: Is cloning actually worth it?

"It sort of had a mother, though the ovum was on loan. It was not so much a lambkin as a little lamby clone" (Pence xv, par. 2). What is cloning, now that is the question. ("Cloning Milestones") defined cloning as, copying another living thing. In place of both parents' genes, a clone has genes from one blood relative. Genes can be described as instruments, which writes the instructions within cells. These instructions are required to establish the characteristics of all living things, including animals (122). Currie's definition of cloning applies to stem cell research states, "cloning is the implantation of a human female egg fertilized by the sperm of a human male. The egg is than placed into a uterus to initiate a pregnancy, which could result in the birth of a human being" (12). The very thought of cloning can be considered as a disturbing attempt at playing God, which may be why, society fears the deployment of this technology. However, society must move past those fears in order to recognize that cloning may present desirable results. Therefore, using cloning as a means to eliminate hereditary diseases may be considered as a medical phenomenon; however, when cloning is utilized to create or reproduce a designer society the possible outcome could be detrimental.

"And soon it had a fellow clone, and soon it had some more. They followed her to school one day, all cramming through the door" (Pence xv, par. 3). The significance of Mary Had A Little Lamb is relevant to the historical events surrounding cloning. Dewar wrote about the Roslin Institute, which was created for the purpose of advancing the British agriculture. In 1996, reporters were introduced to a sheep named Dolly and the technology of cloning. Dolly was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell. In 1997, Roslin Institute along with PPL Therapeutics introduced Polly. The sheep was cloned using the same techniques as Dolly, with one exception. Polly's nuclear DNA was modified with a human gene. This alteration permitted Polly to produce a human protein in her milk (6-7). Could historical events such as, Dolly and Polly, be considered the beginning of the continuous cloning controversies?

"It made the children laugh and sing, the teachers found it droll. There were too many lamby clones, for Mary to control" (Pence xv, par. 4). There have been just as many significant dates in the history of cloning, as there were too many lamby clones. As stated in the article ("Cloning Milestones"), cloning was envisioned in 1938. Paul Berg and Stanley N. Cohen successfully accomplished gene splicing, also known as, recombinant DNA, in 1973. Louise Brown was the first test-tube baby, whose date of birth is July 25, 1978. Than along came Dolly and Polly, in 1996 and 1997 respectively, there success is attribute to Dr. Ian Wilmut and Dr. Keith Campbell. In 2000, Geron Bio-Med received the first cloning patents, which gave them exclusive rights to the technologies that were used to clone Dolly. Up until this point, cloning only involved the cells and embryos from animals. In 2001, the move from cloning animals to human embryos was performed by scientists at Advanced Cell Technology. California became the first state to endorse a law to authorize therapeutic cloning of embryos, in 2002. It appears that the technology of cloning has evolved to focus mainly on humans. One could say that this validates societal fears. The unknown dimensions of cloning could possible allow scientists the fortitude to go where no other man has been before. Perhaps the unknown is the power that will facilitate scientists to design a culture of their preferences. In 2005, Dr. Hwang Woo-Suk cloned human embryos. Dr. Woo-Suk purpose was to remove those stem cells that were genetically matched to particular individuals with various diseases (121-22). Looking back at the past events of cloning, one cannot clearly see how this technology can bestow any advantageous benefits to society.

"No other could control the sheep, since the program did not vary. So the scientists resolved it all, by simply cloning Mary" (Pence xv, par. 5). Of all the historical cloning events, Dr. Woo-Suk purpose shows the beneficial relevance of cloning. Finkel article discusses, a disease which is known as, Amylotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), destroys the motor neurons that transmits messages from the spinal cord to the muscles. Within two to five years, a person