Martha
Hix
Jan.
9, 2002
Genetic engineering, or cloning, has
always been considered as futuristic science fiction. We have enjoyed
stories about evil clones trying to conquer the world, or creating a master
race. Cloning became reality, when
Dolly the sheep was cloned. It shocked
the government and us. The House of
Representatives and the Senate immediately drafted bills to completely ban
human cloning (Smith). Now, nearly 5 years later, the issue of genetics
rises again. Recently a human embryo
was cloned solely for therapeutic use. However, congress and our president are
trying to prevent these medical advances from continuing. They haven’t even given genetic engineering
a chance. Surely, when human genetics
is used appropriately, its medical benefits will open new doors to unforeseen
technology.
Genetic engineering is still a new
and constantly developing topic. In February 1997, Dolly the
sheep, was cloned from cells of an adult sheep (Fischer). This is what first struck the
controversies of ethics and morals. A major factor in the debate over cloning is really
just a fear of new technology. Several states have already
established restrictions on human cloning; one state has even banned human
cloning (Smith). These government actions are premature and should be
immediately reconsidered.
Our first point is, genetic engineering for
infertile couples. Twelve million Americans are conflicted with
infertility at a childbearing age. Infertility is caused by genetic defects,
injuries to the reproductive organs, congenital defects and exposure to toxic
substances and radiation. Many attempts for assisted-reproduction
technologies have been developed. However, these treatments have
proven to be highly inefficient and they can’t help people whose reproductive
organs have not developed or have been removed, this created years of painful
and expensive treatments to have little success. Human cloning will offer
infertile people a higher chance of success. Most people are infertile
because they can’t produce viable gametes. Cloning technology wouldn’t
require viable sperm or egg, any body cell would do. This technology
would be able to bypass defective gametes and allow infertile people to have
their own biological children (Smith).
Another
benefit of human cloning is that it will allow scientists to better understand
cell differentiation. Research on the basic processes of cell
differentiation can lead to dramatic new medical interventions. Cell
differentiation is where a stem cell, found inside embryos during the first two
weeks of development, specializes into cells that perform specific
functions. These cells have the potential to develop into any type of
cell in the human body. A better understanding of cell
differentiation will allow biologists to transform the stem cell into whichever
cell that he/she desires. Burn and spinal cord injury victims might be
provided with artificially produced replacement tissues. Damage done by
degenerative disorders like diabetes, Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s
disease might be reversed. Biologists will be able to create organs for
transplant using merely a dead skin cell (Smith).
People think that cloning technology can produce an
exact copy of an existing adult human being. This isn’t true.
Cloning technology can only produce a cloned embryo. The embryo must
develop in a uterus. The developed child must experience childhood and
adolescence. People think that a clone will be both behaviorally and
physically identical to its donor. This also isn’t true. The clone
may be almost identical physically, but not behaviorally. Genes may
affect our abilities and features, but our behavior and mentality is constantly
shaped by environmental factors (Vergano). Even identical twins show
differences in behavioral and mental characteristics. Someone trying to
clone a future Adolf Hitler might instead produce a modestly talented painter.
Our plan for the federal
government is that it should regulate, not ban, human cloning.
Banning it would deprive many beneficial treatments from people who need
it. Established government agencies could provide careful oversight of the
implications of the studies for human subjects. Our plan for the entire science community is for the continuation
of genetic engineering to continue, as long as the technology is used
appropriately.
Human genetic engineering has several benefits. This new technology can lead to a better understanding of cell differentiation, allowing biologists to produce tissues and organs for transplant. It will provide treatment for infertility. Finally, human genetic engineering will provide cures. A reporter once said, “Calls to ban human cloning are based on unsubstantiated fears that cloning will be used for evil purposes. Technology is never bad in and of itself; it is the purposes for which it is used that can be malevolent. Though cloning research does present some dangers, it also has many potential benefits and should not be banned simply out of fear of its possible misuse (Smith).” We the affirmative agree, give genetic engineering a chance.