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Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 11 No. 04 Oct’12 Review Article Ethics of Human Cloning: A Comparative Study of Western Secular and Islamic Bioethics Perspectives Sharmin I1, Ruslin BN2, Hanapi BMN3, B Rani4 Abstract The comparative approach regarding the ethics of surrogacy from the Western secular and Islamic bioethi- cal view reveals both commensurable and incommensurable relationship. It is not either straight forward ‘commensurable’ or straight forward ‘incommensurable.’ Islamic bioethics is straight-forward in prohibit- ing reproductive cloning on its own features and also guess social chaos and anarchy. Western secular bioethics has both arguments and counter arguments both for and against this scientific innovation. Both are eager to highlight the welfare of the society as a whole but the approaches are not always the same. Introduction cause of cloning. In the process of cloning, the neu- Cloning is nowadays a familiar talk in scientific cleus of a somatic cell is transferred into an anucle- seminar, symposium. It is becoming a growing ated ovum, under specific circumstances. attention day by day for its outstanding technologi- Consequently, this ovum which is fertilized by a cal merit. At the same time, as a very latest interven- somatic nucleas, acted as an ovum fertilized by a tion of medical science, all of its medical dimen- sperm, entered into the cascade of cell division and sions, religious bindings, juristic dimensions and finally become a fetus. ethical challenges are still in infancy. Medical Benefits of Human Cloning The English word ‘clone’ has a Greek origin. It is Several possible scenarios can be imagined regard- derived from the Greek word ‘klwn’ which means ing the use of human cloning. It is a great means to ‘twig’ and there is a very good reason for this.1 overcome either male infertility, female infertility or even both male and female infertility. As a kind of For instance, when we successfully cultivate a assisted reproductive technology, human cloning houseplant cutting, we are doing cloning. Here we can offer prospects to sufferers from intractable are deliberately propagating a copy of the parent infertility. producing a multitude of plants (clones) all geneti- cally identical to the prized parent. So, many fruits Human cloning solves the problem of infertile hus- and vegetables are genetically identical clones from band. People who are crazy to have children but fail plants with some desirable qualities and quantities. to have it through some techniques of assisted repro- But cloning could not gather world wide interest and ductive medicine can theoretically have it through enthusiasm until the birth of a Scottish sheep clone cloning. For example, if the husband’s sperm is not ‘Dolly’. Scientists began busy with the task to think workable, he may exhibit total germ cell failure. if trees can be cloned, if animals can be cloned then Then the wife is not needed to marry another person why not humans? to be a mother to a child genetically related to the father. Through the application of cloning technique, Simply speaking, cloning is a method of producing the husband can provide his DNA from cell taken an animal or human child that has almost the same from any part of his body and the nucleus of that cell genetic makeup as its parents. The technology of which contains the DNA could be fused with the somatic cell neuclear transfer (SCNT) is the root ovum of the wife. The resulting embryo then could 1. Dr. Sharmin Islam, Asstt Professor, Northern University Bangladesh 2. Prof. Rusli Bin Nordin, Ex-Deputy Dean, School of Dental Sciences (PPSG), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Malaysia. 3. Prof. Ab. Rani Shamsuddin, Ex-Dean, School of Dental Sciences (PPSG), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Malaysia. 4. Prof. Hanapi Bin Mohd. Noor, Ex-Director, Islamic Centre (Pusat Islam), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Health Campus, KotaBharu, Malaysia. Corresponds to: Dr. Sharmin Islam, Asstt Professor, Northern University Road # 4/A, House: 54, Dhanmondi R.A, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh. E-mail: [email protected] 258 A Comparative Study of Western Secular and Islamic Bioethics Perspectives be implanted in the uterus of the wife up to the peri- sue or organ for transplantation. If his disease is not od of delivery. So the wife can contribute important genetic, then he can be cloned to have an embryo constituents that are her mitochondrial genes, and to collect the desired tissue from the resulting intrauterine influences and subsequent nurture. So, embryo. This technique is more feasible than the male infertility is not a problem. The need for the technique through which the parents reproduce an sperm is eliminated. Moreover, the spouse in this embryo which will have correct tissue type to serve case, would not to rely on any anonymous donor the sibling, for example, as a bone marrow donor for sperm. In fact, the child is 100% genetic. There is the diseased sibling. great pleasure in having a fully genetic child than a child born with the help of donor sperm. An existing person who is in death bed can be cloned. In that case, the parents will have an exact Wife’s infertility is not a problem now. The wife’s replica of the lost person. fertility problem may be of two types: problem with This technique is capable of producing outstanding ovum or problem with uterus. She may not be able and admired personalities, another Einstein, another to produce effective ovum or she may not have Max Plank, another Russell, and another Mother uterus, or the uterus is affected with cancer or any Teresa! If we can collect their genome, why is not other disease, or she may not be willing to use the possible to clone them and have their identical uterus etc. In case of the absence of ovum, she can twins? use the ovum of another woman to fuse it with the DNA of the husband and the resulting embryo can be Embryonic clone of children can be freezed by the gestated by the wife up to term and give birth to the parents so that if any of them dies, genetic twin of child. Similarly, the wife can donate only egg and the cloned embryo could be produced from the after the egg is enucleated with the DNA of the hus- freezed embryo. In that case, one of the cell nuclei of band, a surrogate can gestate it up to a fixed time and the kid could have been transplanted into one of the after delivery can hand it over to the contracting cou- mother’s enucleated ova and kept frozen. Freezing ple through surrogacy arrangement. But this is pos- embryonic clone of a person would be beneficial if sible through surrogacy arrangement or IVF tech- the person concerned later needs a bone marrow, nique also. What is the novelty of cloning? Actually kidney or liver transplant. Then the clone would be the novelty is no need of sperms. This is the main implanted in a gestational surrogate and developed. advantage of cloning technique. Still we cannot deny Scientists are thinking about enhancing the longevi- the necessity of ovum and gestation. Even if we ty of life through this technique. For example, if we require an egg we do not need a viable egg. So in can perpetuate gene line, we can do it. Suppose some reproductive process, we are now in a position to body lived 80 years, we can clone him and the procreate with the help of woman only. No need of a cloned person would have enjoyed better nourish- man! It is a period of Brave New world, where a ment and other environmental and health standards, woman is free to reproduce amongst themselves that is it not possible to give him a 100 years old life. But is fusing a woman’s DNA from a somatic cell with all these are still hypothesis. We have to think seri- her ovum and finally bear the fetus in her uterus and ously about all of these possibilities if we have a sci- give birth to it. The child would exclusively her entific and progressive mind. So, ‘reproductive without any contribution of male participation. How cloning’ is not the only medical use of the technolo- reproductive freedom she is enjoying! Even if she gy. There are also some important medical uses has no uterus, then she can hire another woman as a without production of whole human beings. gestate and use her DNA to fuse her ovum. Human Cloning: Western Secular and Islamic Human cloning avoids the risk of having children Bioethical Perspectives with a genetic disease. A spouse may have a genetic There are a lot of verses in the Holy Qur’?n which disposition toward an unwanted serious disease such reflect the facts about human creation. Allah (S.W.T) as Tay-Sachs disease, spina bifida, Down’s syn- utters, “And He it is who creates [all life] in the first drome etc. To avoid the risk of any genetically instance, and then brings it forth anew: and most affected child, the couple may undergo cloning tech- easy is this for Him, since His is the essence of all nique. that is most sublime in the heavens and on earth, and Sometimes, a child may be in need of obtaining tis- He alone is almighty, truly wise”2 259 Sharmin I, Ruslin BN, Hanapi BMN, B Rani Allah (S.W.T) has created mankind from male and who talks in favor of human cloning female. He says, It is argued in Western secular bioethics that human “O Mankind! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who cloning would create great confusion in family struc- has created you out of one living entity, and out of it ture.