BIOETHICAL ASPECTS OF STEM CELL RESEARCH AND CLONING

Stem cells are blank cells that have the potential to develop into any type of cell in the body. Scientists are trying to harvest the cells before they have differentiated, then coax them into becoming certain types. These cell lines are colonies of embryonic stem cells of different types. There is a rapid and astonishing progress in the field of cloning since the making of "Dolly" the first cloned sheep, a few years ago. The Stem Cell Research may lead to cloning a whole human being. During cloning of various organs and bone marrow transplants, these organs would be an exact genetic match of the recipient and so there will be no rejection. Every form of reproductive technology raises the question of human values, dignity, worth, jurisdictional rights. Cloned embryo may undergo mutation and can lead to the creation of a monster instead of a human being. In cloning, the values of love and human procreation are missing. It violates the principle of equality among human beings and principle of non-discrimination through selective eugenic dimension used for specific cloning.