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Human reproductive cloning

Human reproductive cloning. By Aiste Lazauskaite Faculdade de Direito da UNL, 2 013. Content. Definition History Controversy: pros and cons Ethical perspective Religious perspective Law perspective Human reproductive cloning in Popular Culture Conclusions. Definition.

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Human reproductive cloning

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  1. Human reproductive cloning By AisteLazauskaite Faculdade de Direito da UNL, 2013

  2. Content • Definition • History • Controversy: pros and cons • Ethical perspective • Religious perspective • Law perspective • Human reproductive cloning in Popular Culture • Conclusions

  3. Definition Human cloning Therapeutic cloningReproductive cloning (Theoretical possibility – replacement cloning)

  4. Human reproductive cloning is an assisted reproductive technology carried out with the goal of creating a complete human being. • Artificial process, does not refer to monozygotic multiple births

  5. FIGURE 1: Human Reproductive Cloning

  6. History. Animals • Cloning of animals as a start point • Early 1950’s - tadpoles were the first animals cloned in a lab • 1996 - First successful mammal cloned, sheep Dolly

  7. History. Humans • Human cloning prospects – since 1960’s • The first human cloned embryos – 2001 by Advanced Cell Technology produced 6-cell embryos • In 2002 - first alleged human clone Eve

  8. Controversy • Line between ethical boundaries and scientific progress • Moral dilemma vs. potential benefits of human cloning. • General tendency in public- almost universally opposed. Overwhelming majorities reject it in opinion surveys.

  9. Arguments FOR Reproductive Cloning: • Help for infertile couples to have genetically related child • Allow homosexuals to have children without using donor’s sperm or egg • Allow parents of a child who has died to seek redress for their loss • Benefit for endangered species

  10. Arguments Against Reproductive Cloning: • Reproductive cloning involves threat to safety of both mother and child • Diminish the sense of uniqueness of an individuality • Division among people • People might be cloned unwillingly • Threat that other dangerous applications of genetic engineering technology will become allowed

  11. Further implications on socio-ethical nature • Transformations on family structure and relation • New type of human being • Infringement to self – determination

  12. Religious perspective • Opposition from religious heads – puts forth man as creator • Condemned by Roman Catholic church under papacy of of Benedict XVI • Sunni muslims consider cloning as frobiden by Islam

  13. Law perspective • 30 countries (inc. France, Germany, Russia) completely banned human cloning. • 15 countries (inc. Japan, the United Kingdom, Israel) have banned human reproductive cloning, but permit therapeutic cloning.

  14. United States • No federal laws which ban cloning completely • March 2010 - a bill (HR 4808) was introduced with a section banning federal funding for human cloning • 13 American states ban reproductive cloning and 3 states prohibit use of public funds for such activities.

  15. United Kingdom • Clear prohibition on reproductive human cloning (Human Reproductive Cloning Act 2001) but works to keep laws current with and relevant to technological advances. United Nations • March 2005 - non-binding United Nations Declaration on Human Cloning calling for the ban of all forms of Human Cloning was adopted

  16. European Union • Supports funding embryonic stem cell research (where permitted) but has banned the funding of human cloning • The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union explicitly prohibits reproductive human cloning • No legal ban on therapeutic cloning • The European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine prohibits human cloning in one of its additional protocols, 29 ratifiers.

  17. Human reproductive cloning in Popular Culture • Human clone is rather popular theme in contemporary science fiction • Used in fiction as a way of recreating historical figures, replacement of deceased lovers, as a supply of organs for transplantation • Mainly depicted negatively or as a crazy idea

  18. Conclusions • Issue of human reproductive cloning as a likely probability • Understood as both scientific challenge and moral concern • Unknowns at this time makes human reproductive cloning to be considered potentially dangerous and ethically irresponsible

  19. Discussion • Cloning technology in saving person’s life. Does it go too far? • Politicians around the world have begun to ban human cloning experiments. Is it fair for politicians to decide what scientists can and cannot do? • Why would anyone want a cloned baby? • What Might Be the Consequences of Uninhibited Human Cloning?

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