Pros of replacement cloning
Although there is not a lot of research that has been done on replacement cloning, there are many potential benifets of replacement cloning. Here is a list of the most common:
- People in wheel chairs could switch bodies, this could allow them to walk again, and do things that they never would have imagined themselves capable of doing.
- Could extend the human lifespan.
- People with birth defects, such as missing limbs and back problems could switch into a healthier body.
- If this method became well practiced, people could do it for cosmetic issues. (Although this is not a good example of the uses of replacement cloning because hopefully people would never use it due to cosmetic issues.)
Cons of replacement cloning
There are many cons with the idea of replacement cloning, this could be why no scientist has ever suggested trying it on humans. The following is a list of the most common cons associated with replacement cloning:
- Someone needs to have died in order for their body to be used in replacement cloning. Family members of the dead person would find it very disturbing to see their dead relative walking around with a different brain in their head and talking like a completely different person.
- Scientists have no idea if the brain will create neurotransmitters with the rest of the body. This means that the person may not be able to move.
- When the brain is being transfered from one body to another it will not be supplied with the right amount of oxygen. This may lead to loss of brain cells or the brain that is being transferred may never be the same after the transfer.
- The costs are very high, and legally scientists can't ask someone to risk their life to transfer their brain.
- Many people believe that it is ethically wrong, and the body we have is the only one we should ever have.
- It would takes years of therapy to allow the new person with the new body to even move their arm.
Conclusion
Replacement cloning could theoretically work, but there are no ways for scientists to attempt replacement cloning without risking a person's life. Replacement cloning has never been attempted on any type of animal. Scientists would rather spend their time on reproductive cloning, which has a chance of being tried on humans in this life time. The cost of life in replacement cloning is too high and might never be attempted. Replacement cloning has its pros, but the cons out weigh them greatly. It would be hard to imagine replacement cloning ever being used.