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Think about 3.1 What is bioethics? 3.2 Some issues in biotechnology Recall Think about Summary concept map

Following the successful cloning of Dolly the sheep and other mammals, humans could possibly be cloned.

This has started a debate about whether it is right or wrong to clone a whole person. There are different views on this issue.

Why do people disagree on cloning a What factors affect whole person their views on it

Do you support the cloning of a Why whole person

3.1 What is bioethics?

Bioethics () is the study of ethical issues and implications brought about by the advances in the areas of biological science and medicine.
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3.1 What is bioethics?

In favour human cloning

Human cloning is a new form of human reproduction. It enables infertile couples like us to have children.

3.1 What is bioethics?

In favour human cloning Our son died in an accident. A clone of our son may make up for our loss.

3.1 What is bioethics?

human cloning

Against

It is irresponsible to clone humans when animal cloning has such a low success rate.

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3.1 What is bioethics?

human cloning

Against

A clone is neither the child nor the brother/sister of the nucleus donor. The identity of the clone is unclear.

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3.1 What is bioethics?

values () guide the way people make their decisions values are affected by religion, culture and past experiences, etc. one thing that benefits some people may not be beneficial to others

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3.1 What is bioethics?

Bioethics is the study of ethical issues and implications brought about by the advances in the areas of biological science and medicine.

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology ethical issues

legal issues
social issues

economic issues environmental issues

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Genetically modified food

any food or food ingredient that comes from genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

GM tomatoes with longer shelf life

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Genetically modified food

1 Safety issues
long-term effects on human health? new genes or their products cause allergies? transferral of antibiotic resistance genes produces superbugs?
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Genetically modified food

2 Ethical issues
is it playing God? should vegetarians eat GM plants that contain animal genes?

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Genetically modified food

3 Social and economic issues
increases the dependence of food supply on developed countries and affects the living of farmers in developing countries

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Genetically modified food

4 Environmental issues
GMOs may replace the wild types, reduce biodiversity, or upset the ecological balance produces superweeds speeds up the evolution of resistant population of pests

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Cloning
lack of genetic variations

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Cloning
1 Ethical issues
low success rate death of embryos justified?
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% survival

implantation

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2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

day of pregnancy

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Cloning
2 Economic issues
worth investing the money?

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Cloning
3 Environmental issues
clones of endangered animals will still have no place to live spend money on habitat conservation instead?

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Cloning
Human reproductive cloning
clones are unnatural sub-humans? relation of the clone with the nucleus donor and the donors family? could the clone experience his/her own life? cloning lowers the value of life?
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Cloning
Human reproductive cloning Risk of abuse what happens if rich people use the technology to produce servants?

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Cloning
Human reproductive cloning Risk of abuse what happens if Adolf Hitler clones himself? what happens if someone allows only the best people to be cloned?
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Human Genome Project

1 Ethical issues
diagnosis of a genetic disease before available treatment causes anxiety?
Im sorry. There is no cure for the disease.
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Oh no.

3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Human Genome Project

2 Legal issues
who can own or gain access to personal genetic information?

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Human Genome Project

2 Legal issues
how can we prevent discrimination against people with particular genotypes and misuse of genetic information?
This man has a high risk of developing a fatal genetic disease.

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Human Genome Project

2 Legal issues
how can we prevent discrimination against people with particular genotypes and misuse of genetic information?
Wed better refuse his insurance application.
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Human Genome Project

2 Legal issues
can the presence of a certain gene be used as evidence to prove someone guilty or innocent?
My client didnt do it. His gene did it.
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Human Genome Project

3 Social issues
how is the public perception of an individual affected by his/her genetic information?

Go! He has a gene related to violence.

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Human Genome Project

4 Economic issues
can the same benefits be obtained from less expensive alternatives?

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Gene therapy
1 Ethical issues
when should gene therapy be used? acceptable for genetic enhancement?
May I change my eye colour using gene therapy?

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Gene therapy
1 Ethical issues
when should gene therapy be used? acceptable for genetic enhancement? is it playing God? causes unforeseeable harmful effects on future generations?
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Gene therapy
2 Legal issues
how can we obtain informed consent from seriously ill patients or embryos? how can we prevent misuse of gene therapy to produce a perfect human race?
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Gene therapy
3 Social issues
widens the social class gap?

4 Economic issues
right to invest a large sum of money for the benefit of a few patients? any alternatives?
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Stem cell therapy

1 Ethical issues
human embryos are destroyed to obtain embryonic stem cells murder?

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

Stem cell therapy

2 Legal issues
how can we ensure that the technique would not be used in human reproductive cloning?

3 Social issues
the public become used to the destruction of human life?
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

1 Some issues related to GM food:

It poses potential risks to human health and the environment Is it play God? It weakens the economy of the developing countries
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

2 Some issues related to animal

cloning: It results in a lack of genetic variations A large number of embryos are sacrificed Its cost is high
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

3 Some issues related to human

reproductive cloning: Human clones are unnatural or sub-humans It leads to unclear relations between the human clones and their nucleus donors
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

3 Some issues related to human

reproductive cloning: Human clones lack self-identity It lowers the value of life There are risks of abuse

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

4 Some issues related to the HGP:

Will the diagnosis of a genetic disease before available treatment cause anxiety ? Who can own or gain access to personal genetic information?
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

4 Some issues related to the HGP:

How can we prevent discrimination against people with particular genotypes and misuse of genetic information? Can the presence of a certain gene be used as evidence to prove someone guilty or innocent?

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

4 Some issues related to the HGP:

How is the public perception of an individual affected by his/her genetic information? Can the same benefits be obtained from less expensive alternatives?
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

5 Some issues related to gene therapy:

It may be difficult to decide when gene therapy should be used Is it acceptable to use gene therapy for genetic enhancement ? Is it playing God?
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

5 Some issues related to gene therapy:

It may cause unforeseeable harmful effects on future generations How can we obtain informed consent from seriously ill patients or embryos ?
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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

5 Some issues related to gene therapy:

How can we prevent misuse of gene therapy? It may further widen the social class gap

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3.2 Some issues in biotechnology

6 Some issues related to stem cell

therapy: Human embryos are destroyed to obtain embryonic stem cells How can we ensure that the technique would not be used in human reproductive cloning ?
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Why do people disagree on cloning a whole person? What factors affect their views on it?

Values guide the way people make their decision. Values are affected by religion, culture and past experiences, etc.

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Why do people disagree on cloning a whole person? What factors affect their views on it?

In addition, one thing that benefits some people may not be beneficial to others. Thus, people may disagree on cloning a whole person.

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Do you support the cloning of a whole person? Why? Answers vary with students.

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Bioethics
study of ethical issues and implications brought about by the advances in the areas of

biological science and medicine

includes

biotechnology

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biotechnology
raises

ethical issues

legal issues

economic issues

social issues

environmental issues
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