Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
Babeş-Bolyai University
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
The Pros and Cons of
Cloning
January 7th 2011
Group members:
Halmagyi Melinda
Donca Roxana
Deak Noemi
Content
Introduction
Definition of cloning
Brief chronology
 Body
Potential benefits/risks of cloning
Point of views:
Scientist
Ethicist
Legislator
 Conclusions
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What is cloning?
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cloning ="trunk, branch“ (greek)
creating genetically identical individuals
types of cloning:
- molecular cloning
- organism cloning
- human cloning
Chronology
before the 1990´s – various attempts of
cloning organisms
 1996 – Dolly
 since 1997 – until our days:
- many tries of cloning other animals,
like dogs, mice, pigs, wolves, etc. with
several successes
- reserches on cloning human cells
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Dolly
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first mammal cloned from adult DNA
1996 – 2003
Potential benefits/risks of cloning
Benefits
 to produce organs or tissues to repair or
replace the damaged ones (organ
transplants)
 infertile couples could be able to have
children
 reconstructive and cosmetic surgery
 cure genetic or other diseases
Risks
 highly inefficient and very expensive
 clones live short and unhealthy life
 unsafe process ( miscarriages and
deformities)
 lose the uniqueness of every human
Points of view
 Scientist
 Ethicist
 Legislator
Scientific issues

the process of cloning
Ethical issues

those who argue in favour:
- curing diseases, organ transplants,
avoiding genetic malformations
- longer life, hopes of eternal life
- anyone could have children
- scientific research for the benefit of
humanity
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Those who argue against:
- reduce the value of life
- loss of individuality
- confusing relationships
- offensive to human dignity
- would mark the cloned person more as
a replacement rather than a fellow human
being
Legislative issues
human cloning - the source of debates by
many countries
 the need for legislative policies is
particularly great because:
– many unknowns concerning human
cloning
– the absence of any effective system to
license private research laboratories

without a ban, clones are exposed to
“potential abuse, prejudice and
discrimination”
 the government – protect the public health
from catastrophic consequences
 social control is necessary
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Conclusions
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there are a lot of benefits of cloning, but
we should not forget the risks
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References
http://www.sciencecases.org/dog_cloning/cloning.gif
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/edexcel/genes/reproductionandclo
ningrev4.shtml
http://www.offthewahl.com/editorialcartoons/1998/9818.htm
http://hubpages.com/hub/Human-Cloning-in-Brave-New-World#
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSFaRCLG4hLQZwWKnJxJ3KBFykBtfnaoGFf
TpsXDhjnWoHHYCaP
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml#humans
http://staff.lib.msu.edu/skendall/cloning/laws.htm
http://www.genetics-and-society.org/policies/us/cloning.html
http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/genetics/rt-shcl.htm
George Annas, J.D., M.P.H. “ The New England Journal of Medicine”, July 9, 1998
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3076915/
http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/mcgee.html
http://www.geneticsandsociety.org/article.php?id=1893
http://www.geneticsandsociety.org/article.php?id=272
http://facweb.stvincent.edu/academics/religiousstu/writings/logston1.html
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/acdlife/documents/rc_pa_ac
dlife_doc_30091997_clon_en.html
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/secretariat_state/2004/documents/rc_segst_20040927_cloning_en.html
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theissues/article/0,6512,533501,00.html
http://www.humancloning.org/
http://www.usatoday.com/educate/college/healthscience/articles/20030126.htm