The document discusses the various types of cloning, including DNA cloning, reproductive cloning, and therapeutic cloning, highlighting successes like Dolly the sheep and failures in human cloning attempts. It examines ethical concerns, challenges, and differing global and religious perspectives on cloning, advocating for a ban on human reproductive cloning while supporting regulated therapeutic cloning for medical advancement. The author calls for unified legislation against human cloning in the U.S. to prevent exploitation and ensure ethical standards.

1. Cloning
Types and Challenges
By Shahrzad Moradifard

2. Content
• Abstract
• Cloning
• What types of cloning have been successful?
• What are the Three Types of Cloning?
• Human Cloning: The Good and The Bad
• Ethical Issues regarding Human Reproductive Cloning
• Challenges
• Global and Religious Views
• Final Thought

3. Abstract
• Cloning technology is a science that people still have much to learn about,
but cloning has been shown to have many uses in developing different
types of medicine, products from transgenic animals and the conservation
of endangered and high quality farm animals. On the other hand, some
believe that cloning is not worthwhile because overall, it still has a low
success rates and carries many common risk factors. According to Human
Genome Project researchers, cloning is “the copying of genes and other
pieces of chromosome to generate enough identical material for further
study.” What this basically means, in others words, is the copying of one’s
genes to produce an exact duplicate of those genes. There have been
numerous methods of going about this, some of which have been
successful (ex. Dolly the sheep) and others have been a complete failure.

4. Cloning
• Cloning is the process of creating genetically identical organisms
• The term clone (from the Greek word klōn, meaning “twig”) had
already been in use
since the beginning of the 20th century
in reference to plants
• Clones have identical DNA but can have different personalities
Asexual organisms reproduce by cloning themselves
Human identical twins are clones of each other

5. What types of cloning have been successful?
• “In 1972, British scientists clone tadpoles. The amphibians die before becoming adults.
• In Nov. 1993, U.S. scientists split embryos to create genetically identical twins, grow them to the 32-cell
stage and then destroy them.
• In July 1996, Dolly the sheep is born, the first mammal successfully cloned from adult, rather than
embryonic, cells.
• July 1998: University of Hawaii scientists clone three generations of healthy mice from the nuclei of adult
donor cells.
• Aug. 2001: President Bush permits limited federal funding of stem-cell research, using only stem-cell lines
that have already been derived from human embryos.
• Nov. 2001: Scientists at a U.S. biotech firm clone human embryos by replacing egg nuclei with mature nuclei
from adult cells. The cloned cells divide briefly and then die.
• Dec. 2001: Texas A&M University scientists create the first cloned pet, a calico kitten named CC, for Copy
Cat.
• In 2002-2004, Without providing any evidence that they have really done it, several scientists, including Dr.
Severino Antinori, Dr. Panos Zavos and a team working for the Raelian sect, claim to have brought the first
cloned human baby to term. No experts take them seriously.
• Feb. 2004, South Korean scientists clone 30 human embryos, grow them into blastocysts, harvest them for
stem cells and create a single stem-cell colony (Lemonick).”

6. What are the Three Types of Cloning?
DNA Cloning
• the transfer of a DNA fragment of interest from one organism to a self-
replicating genetic element such as a bacterial plasmid. This process is used
to create enough identical material for further study.
Reproductive Cloning
• Reproductive cloning is a technology used to generate a being that has the
same nuclear DNA as another currently or previously existing being.
Therapeutic Cloning
• The production of human embryos for use in research. This is for the
purpose of harvesting stem cells. In this process, the embryos are
destroyed, which raises many ethical concerns.

7. DNA Cloning
• A DNA fragment containing the gene of interest is isolated from
chromosomal DNA using restriction enzymes and then united with a
plasmid that has been cut with the same restriction enzymes. The
DNA can then be reproduced along with the host cell.

8. Reproductive Cloning
• Scientists transfer genetic material from the nucleus of a donor adult
cell to an egg whose nucleus (and all of the genetic material), has
been removed. The reconstructed egg, which contains the DNA from
a donor cell, must be treated with chemicals or electric current in
order to stimulate cell division. Once the cloned embryo reaches a
suitable stage, it is transferred to the uterus of a female host where it
continues to develop until birth.

11. Therapeutic Cloning
• The egg is removed from a woman’s ovary. Then the genetic material
is removed using a tiny needle and a skin cell is inserted into the egg
to serve as the new nucleus. It is then stimulated with a chemical and
starts to divide.

14. Human Cloning: The Good and The Bad
Good:
• Can use certain organs and tissue
of the clone for transplants
• Could help with getting DNA from
two infertile parents into an
offspring
Bad:
• There will most likely be several
failures resulting in the death of
the clone
• There has not yet been a
successful clone of a primate
• Can possibly rob the clone of
individuality when they realize
they are a clone

15. Ethical issues regarding Human Reproductive
Cloning
• Technical and medical safety
• Undermining the concept of reproduction and family
• Ambiguous relations of a cloned child with the progenitor
• Confusing personal identity and harming the psychological
development of a clone
• Concerns about eugenics
• Contrary to Human Dignity
• Promoting trends towards designer babies and human enhancement

16. Challenges
• Financial Concerns
• produces a population of genetically identical individuals that lack the
genetic variability necessary for species survival
• Miscarriage
• Health Problems
• Abnormal Gene Expression

17. Global and Religious Views
Australia
• Opposed to cloning humans for reproductive purposes. In 2001 there
was a law passed that banned reproductive cloning, but allowed
regulated therapeutic cloning.
European Union
• The European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine has
passed a protocol that bans human cloning, but it has only been
ratified by Greece Spain and Portugal.

18. United States
• The House of Representatives have met 1998, 2001, 2004 and 2007,
and during all of these meetings, there has been debate over
therapeutic cloning that prevents both of the proposals, which are: a
ban of reproductive cloning or reproductive and therapeutic cloning.
Some states have chosen to take matters into their own hands and
ban both forms or just reproductive cloning. Even if the government
hasn’t made a decision on what types of cloning are allowed current
regulations prohibit federal funding for cloning research, so either
way, no work is getting done.

19. The United Nations
• A non-binding resolution, meaning that it is not punishable by
international law, has been passed by the United Nations General
Assembly stating that all types of cloning are banned.

20. Native Americans
• Most believe that cloning animals and humans would disrupt the
balance and erode the kinship and reverence between humans and
other created beings. Everyday, we become more like the “creator”,
but we do not deserve/aren’t responsible enough to be. Some Native
Americans support cloning for the purpose of preserving the
endangered indigenous people and they see cloning as a way of doing
that.

21. Food and Drug Administration
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided in January 2008
that meat and milk from cloned animals, such as cattle, pigs and
goats, are as safe as those from non-cloned animals. The FDA action
means that researchers are now free to using cloning methods to
make copies of animals with desirable agricultural traits, such as high
milk production or lean meat. However, because cloning is still very
expensive, it will likely take many years until food products from
cloned animals actually appear in supermarkets.

22. Hinduism
• Hinduism, which is practiced in the countries of India and Nepal,
takes a neutral stance on this subject. If it is done with divine intent
and consciousness, it will benefit, but if done for the wrong reasons,
it will evoke experiences caused by negative Karma, but hindus aren’t
allowed to injure sentient beings, which prohibits both animal
research and the destruction of embryos. Hindus also believe
reincarnation, that the world was in a process that is similar to
cloning, so there is no objection like many of the traditional christian
religions.

23. Buddhism
• Buddhism, which is practiced in the majority of Asian Counties,
rejects the idea of individuality, and says that it doesn’t matter how
children are born. Some say that it can even be used to reach
enlightenment by using DNA cloning in order to obtain admiral traits.
Like Hinduism, Buddhism also prohibits harming sentient beings,
restricting testing on animals and embryos.

24. Islam
• Islam, which is practiced mainly in the Middle East, Northern Africa
and some of Asia, highly values the parent child lineage, so they
object to third party assisted reproduction, as it would break down
the filial relationships. Muslims are also wary of the destruction of
embryos, but debate on when the embryo gets a soul, justifies the
harvesting of embryos up to a certain age.

25. Judaism
• Judaism, which is practiced all over the world, but the largest
populations are found in Israel; the United States; Russia and Canada,
states that reproduction is an “overriding duty” of the Jews, scientific
research is highly valued. Cloning research is fully supported and they
are suspicious of government bans. It is stated that if advancements
in cloning improve chances of successfully curing people, then it
should be pursued.

26. Orthodox Christianity
• Conservative Christians such as these strongly oppose cloning, saying
that once an embryo exists, it is automatically a human being. It is
also believed that cloning will create a new business centered around
the marketing of DNA, which will specialize in creating spare parts
and babies. It is feared that this will evoke a movement towards
creating a superior human being.

27. Mainline Protestant Christianity
• This group of people has made a clear distinction between
therapeutic cloning and reproductive cloning, saying that therapeutic
cloning is perfectly acceptable, but reproductive cloning is not
because it would be like you are trying to play the role of God.

29. Three Basic Moral Principles

30. Final Thought
• Cloning is still a young technology and we should understand that
there could be some difficulties at first, the same as any other
technological improvement that we have had throughout history.
Therefore, only research about its positive aspects will lead to its
improvement and growth. To ban this research would result in the
loss of a technology that could someday cure diseases, or prevent the
deaths of people who wait endlessly for an organ for transplant, or
even give hope to people who otherwise cannot make their own
choices.

31. In conclusion..
• Human reproductive cloning should be banned worldwide. This decision does not exploit or harm
anyone, and demonstrates moral standards that we would logically want everyone to follow. Perhaps,
when the probability of a much higher success rate can be guaranteed, then the subject should be
reevaluated and debated utilizing all the new findings, to decide whether it is morally permissible. All
the stakeholders should be considered, and none should be exploited.
• Therapeutic cloning research should be allowed to be practiced, but closely monitored and regulated.
This technology has the potential to uncover treatments and cures for deadly diseases. The net utility
of all the possible people who could benefit from advancements of this technology are great.
• The U.S government should pass legislation that will ban human cloning nationwide. They should not
leave it up to the states. It does not seem right that one state allows the unethical mistreatment of a
human life, but the neighboring state does not. When a couple from Florida hires a California company
to clone their pet, they are crossing state lines. Therefore, the Federal government should be more
involved.
• The government should also discuss the issue of human cloning with other countries, in an effort to
convince them to ban human cloning as well.