Reproductive human cloning refers to the scientific process of creating a genetically identical copy of an existing or previously existing human being. This process typically involves somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), where the nucleus from a body cell is transferred into an egg cell that has had its own nucleus removed. The reconstructed egg is then stimulated to develop into an embryo, which, in theory, would be implanted into a surrogate. However, human reproductive cloning is not a commercially available service, so there is no established “cost” for such a procedure.
The Current Reality of Human Cloning
While animal cloning, like Dolly the sheep in 1996, demonstrated the possibility, human reproductive cloning remains scientifically unproven and has not been successfully carried out. Animal cloning, using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), initially had extremely low success rates. Despite advancements improving success rates for some species, these procedures still often result in developmental abnormalities and health problems for the cloned animals.
The scientific community agrees that human reproductive cloning is technically challenging and carries significant risks. No successful instances have been reliably reported, and there is a universal consensus against its practice. It is important to distinguish reproductive cloning from therapeutic cloning, which involves creating cloned embryos not for reproduction, but to derive stem cells for medical research or potential treatments. Unlike reproductive cloning, therapeutic cloning focuses on generating specialized cells for medicine and transplants, and it does not aim to produce a complete human being.
Hypothetical Cost Factors for Human Cloning
If human reproductive cloning became scientifically feasible and legally permissible, the financial investment would be extraordinary, involving multiple complex and resource-intensive stages. Initial expenses would involve extensive research and development to overcome biological hurdles. This would require substantial funding for scientific inquiry into cell reprogramming, embryonic development, and genetic stability, necessitating highly specialized laboratories with advanced equipment.
Developing protocols and refining the SCNT technique would demand an expert team of scientists, including geneticists, embryologists, and reproductive specialists. Their specialized knowledge and intensive research would contribute significantly to the overall cost. Beyond scientific development, the procedure itself would be resource-demanding. This would involve procuring numerous human egg cells, which are already expensive.
The process would likely involve multiple attempts due to low success rates, requiring repeated cycles of cell manipulation and embryo creation. Each cycle would incur substantial expenses for laboratory consumables, energy, and personnel time. If a viable embryo were created, the process would necessitate prolonged prenatal care, potentially involving multiple surrogate pregnancies due to the inherent risks. Lifelong medical and psychological monitoring for the cloned individual would also represent a significant, ongoing financial commitment.
Ethical and Legal Barriers to Human Cloning
Human reproductive cloning faces widespread opposition due to ethical concerns and societal implications, leading to its legal prohibition in most parts of the world. A central ethical issue is human dignity and individuality, as creating a human through cloning could treat a person as a commodity rather than an individual with inherent worth. This raises questions about the psychological impact on a cloned individual’s sense of identity and autonomy.
Safety and health risks also contribute to the global ban. Animal cloning studies show high failure rates, often resulting in abnormalities, developmental problems, and premature aging in cloned animals. Applying such an inefficient and risky process to humans is considered medically irresponsible and unethical due to the potential for harm to any cloned individual and the surrogate mother.
These ethical concerns have led to legal frameworks designed to prevent human reproductive cloning. International declarations, such as the UNESCO Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights, and national laws in many countries prohibit it, reflecting a broad international consensus.