Theos-Talk Archives (April 1997 Message tl00037)

Liesel wrote> I'd like to know what you think of my objection that we don't know
what diseases the clone is going to develop in its lifetime.
Dennis replies> The objection is valid because at this point in the development
of cloning technology there is no way to absolutely predict what
diseases a clone may contract.  However ... it seems reasonable
to assume that a clone, being genetically identical with its donor,
will tend to develop the same diseases as the donor under similar
environmental conditions.  

Kym wrote>  I don't believe it is ethical to use laboratory animals for medical research ...

Dennis replies> I don't believe it is ethical NOT to use them. For example,
Surgeons can learn to prefect their techniques on animals ... or 
they can learn to prefect them on humans.  If laboratory medical 
research (on animals) was ever outlawed, I for one would not care
to be the one some surgeon learned on.  Actually, this whole
issue is in the process of becoming moot.  Virtual Reality tech-
nology is advancing at such a stunning pace that soon those
same surgeons will be learning their trade on virtual (i.e. elec-
tronic) humans --- not out of compassion for animals but simply
because it will be a more efficient alternative.