Is Human Cloning an Inevitability in the Future?

The advent of the Dolly the sheep in 1996 served as a catalyst for global discussions on human cloning. Since then, numerous debates and international treaties have emerged to address the ethical, legal, and moral implications of this technology. This article explores the current state of human cloning, the existing regulations, and the future potential of this technology.

International Treaties and Declarations Against Human Cloning

Several international treaties and declarations have been adopted to regulate human cloning. These include the United Nations Declaration on Human Cloning adopted in 2005, the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine, and the Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights.

United Nations Declaration on Human Cloning

The 2005 non-binding declaration, adopted mostly by member states, calls for a ban on all forms of human cloning. The declaration resulted from four years of debate and ultimately passed with 84 votes in favor, 34 against, and 37 abstentions. Critics argue that this declaration is either too weak to curb unauthorized research or too ambiguous to satisfy all perspectives.

European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine

The European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine includes the European Protocol on the Prohibition of Cloning Human Beings, which explicitly prohibits the cloning of humans and the creation of cloned embryos for research purposes. However, Germany and Britain have not signed this protocol, indicating a lack of uniform global consensus.

Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights

Dated back to 1997, this declaration recognizes the potential benefits of genetics research in improving health while also emphasizing the need to respect human dignity, freedom, and rights. These declarations collectively aim to establish a framework for the ethical conduct of scientific research involving human cloning.

What Makes a Creature Human?

Central to the discussions on human cloning is the question of what defines humanity. The belief in a spiritual soul infused into a fertilized ovum by God suggests that cloning cannot replicate human essence. Consequently, clones cannot be considered truly human. This argument posits that no one can clone a spiritual soul, thus no one can clone a human being.

Achieving Human Cloning: Current Possibilities

While some may argue that human cloning is impossible, recent advancements in biotechnology have raised the possibility. Scientists have already demonstrated the cloning of various animals, and the technical challenges in human cloning are continuously being addressed. The feasibility of human cloning today is thus a matter of debate, with some experts suggesting that it might be possible now.

Ethical Concerns and Ownership Issues

The primary ethical concern surrounding human cloning revolves around the issue of ownership and rights. If a clone is recognized as a fully autonomous individual, many of the ethical dilemmas could be alleviated. However, if clones were to be created for organ harvesting or other medical purposes, ethical implications would abound. Questions such as 'who owns the clone?' and 'what rights do clones have?' would need to be thoroughly addressed.

Financial and Biological Challenges

While human cloning might be technically feasible, the high costs and potential biological issues make it less practical. Cloning inherently accumulates the genetic damage present in the donor, which could be detrimental to the health of the clone. Additionally, creating and raising a clone would be astronomically expensive, making it an impractical solution for most individuals.

Conclusion

Human cloning remains a contentious topic with no clear answers. While international treaties provide a framework for regulation, the ethical and legal challenges of human cloning continue to evolve. As biotechnology advances, these debates will likely persist, making human cloning an inevitability in the future, albeit a highly controversial one.