EIRP Proceedings, Vol 2 (2007)

Abstract

This paper reviews the development of modern biotechnologies, without precedent in history of science,
guided to a great enthusiasm in genetics and molecular biology experiments. The humanity is founded today in
post genomics era and she has the debt to try all the things offered by the nature and destiny. But, what is the
price? Bioethics tries to maintaine the flame of self conscience and brings in foreground the present problems
generated by the new technologies and their possibilities to change life. At the beginning, cloning was just an
unachieved ambition, a dream. By the time, it became a reality, whom the contemporary society is not ready to
accept, because cloning represents one of the most controversial achievements of the modern science. The
purposes of human cloning can be best explained by referring to the two classic types of cloning: reproductive
and therapeutical. In reproductive cloning the cloned embryo is implanted in a woman's uterus and this should
develop there. Therapeutic cloning could be used to provide replacement organs or tissues for people who have
had theirs damaged. A clone is not a republication of a person, it only copies his/her genetic information, but not
his/her personality. Therefore, the relationship between an "original" and a clone is rather like that between the
twins after separation. They share all the same DNA, but little of the same environment and life experiences.