Is it possible to clone humans?
Cloning may be useful in treatment of various diseases. It is also possible to use it to restore life to the dead. Is this a way to achieve immortality? These were the dilemmas that young people tried to solve during the meeting with the creator of Dolly the sheep, Professor Keith Campbell.
Before we begin to proliferate futuristic visions, let us first ask whether human cloning is technically possible at all.
“It is very difficult, because human embryology is much more complicated than the one of the sheep or pig. It would also be a problem to obtain an adequate number of eggs needed for cloning,” said Professor Keith Campbell.
But let us suppose that in the future it will be easier to clone a human being. Why shall we do that?
“It is possible to imagine at least a few reasons, which I will group into categories: therapeutic cloning, reproductive cloning and cloning of the dead,” explained the specialist.
After the professor’s speech, the students asked questions. They also took part in a poll.As many as 71% of the students were in favour of therapeutic cloning. Reproductive cloning was not met with broader acceptance – 67% of the respondents were against it. Cloning of the dead was opposed by 91% of the listeners.The meeting was held on 24 February 2012. It was attended by 150 high school students.