Pros And Cons Of Cloning In The United States

Cloning, although a relatively new science, has been taking place in nature for many years. “Clones are organisms that are exact genetic copies. Every single bit of their DNA is identical” (Learn.Genetics.Utah.EDU). In recent decades the uses for cloning has expanded drastically. Cloning is being used to treat sick medical patients, and reproduce excellent livestock for farmers. Cloning is however not without government oversight. The social and ethical views have played largely into laws that each state developed here in the United States. Although cloning can be beneficial, it is still surrounded with controversial and moralistic issues. In recent years the medical field has expanded greatly on the positive uses for cloning. An example

There are many types of farm animals that are cloned for commercial use. Such as; cows, pigs, boars, sheep and goats. Many farmers choose to clone certain animals based on particular positive traits that an animal may exhibit that would otherwise be difficult to replicate by conventional breeding. A farmer may choose to breed a dairy cow simply because it can produce more milk on average. Or a farmer can choose to clone a boar that is less aggressive towards the other livestock. Although genetic, these traits can be passed on by traditional breeding, but the desired traits can sometimes be lost over generations of animals. There are three common techniques used by farmers to create clones; artificial insemination, embryo transfer, and in vitro fertilization (FDA.Gov). Some cloned animals are born with different types of deformities. Such as; enlarged or missing organs, extra extremities, central nervous system abnormalities or reduced motor function. Typically, these animals are disposed of in a humane manner. Many animal activist rights groups have called for the halting of animal cloning and requested the Food and Drug Administration do a full review on how these cases are handled and called for more prolific research to try and end the mutations. The United States Government appointed the Food and Drug Administration with the oversight of monitoring foods that are a product of cloning. The general public has many concerns when it comes to consuming products derived from cloned animals. The biggest concern is cancer. The Food and Drug administration has established that consuming products from cloned animals does not cause cancer. The assurance from the Food and Drug Administration has been met with skepticism by some members of the general public.