Medical Technology

Fertility Treatments:

Artificial Insemination:

The technique in which sperm is collected, usually by masturbation, and placed artificially at the neck of the cervix. After this is done, a child is expected to be born in a natural way. There are two types of artificial insemination, by husband (AIH) or by donor (AID).  Artificial insemination by husband uses the sperm of the husband whereas AID uses donor sperm.
+ AID is used when male is infertile or does not wish to pass on a genetically disease.
- Can potentially introduce third party to relationship
- Sex is for uniting a couple and this separates it

IVF

IVF stands for In Vitro Fertilisation which means in glass fertilisation. As the meaning suggests, IVF is the process in which sperm is extracted from the man and ovum from the women, and is then fertilised outside the usual biological surroundings and instead in labatory conditions. The embryo is placed back in the female body when it reached the 8 celled stage.
+ IVF is used when woman has blocked fallopian tubes
- Same reasons as above
- Spare embryos die
- Expensive

Surrogacy

Surrogacy is when a woman becomes pregnant for someone else and carries their baby to term. In Surrogacy, the embryo is usually fertilised with IVF but the fertilised egg is placed in the surrogate mother rather than the biological one.
+ Surrogacy is used when the women has either no uterus or who uterus is too damaged to have a child.
- What if surrogate mother refuses to hand over child?
- Could lead to illegal payments for women to become surrogates

General arguments

In Favour:

- Its morally loving to help couples who are suffering due to their issues
- Helping to bring life to this earth is morally loving
- Many of the arguments against are subject to disagreement such as the fact that many Christians do not view embryos as alive

In Opposition:

- Children are a gift from God, not a right, we cannot demand for it by using these treatments
- Children may not be aware of genetically heritage and may mistakenly marry sibling
- Donors introduce a third party to a relationship which should be between two people
- Sex is to unite couples and produce children, treatments split these two purposes

Gene Therapy and Genetical engineering

Gene therapy – The experimental procedure in which malfunctioning or dead cells are modified or replaced with healthy genes (Gene transfer) . This can use both germ line cells and somatic cells.
Genetic Engineering - Altering the genetic material of cells and organisms in order to make them make new substances or perform new functions
Germ line gene therapy - altering the genes of gametes (sperm or egg cells) or the embryo itself which affects both the embryo and all the descendants . Main hope for this type is that it can eliminate a disease from an entire family however it is illegal.
Somatic cell gene therapy - Healthy genes are transferred into Adult body cells (somatic cells) in order to rectify genetic disorders. The process only affects that particular organism and not its offspring

Arguments concerning Gene therapy

In favour:

- Morally loving to use it in order to help stop suffering
- Somatic cell gene therapy only affects a certain organism
- It isn’t unnatural to rectify problems in our body

In opposition:

- Is it safe?
- What illnesses are eligible for gene therapy, as people may try curing simple diseases
- People may try to make a perfect race
- Rejection of Gods work
- Discouraging genetic diversity and showing prejudice against people who have genetic diseases

Designer babies and saviour siblings

Designer babies 

Designer babies is the colloquial term used to describe  a child who’s genetic make-up has been purposefully selected to be the optimum recombination of the parents genetical material. After the process of IVF, the genes can be screened and the best embryo can be chosen
For example a child could be selected on the basis of gender, appearance and IQ. Another purpose of this method is so that a child can be chosen which will not have a genetic disease which is passed down in the family.

Saviour Siblings

Saviour Sibling is a child who has been selected after genetic screening for the purpose of helping an existing sibling. The saviour sibling will have innate characteristics which allow gene therapy to take place in the existing sibling which will most probably not be able to be done with a standard donor. The newly born child can donate stem cells or bone marrow which the sibling will not reject.

Arguments concerning Parental selection of children

In favour:

- Morally loving to pick a child who will not suffer from disease
- A life is created and a life is saved with saviour siblings
- Parents are just doing the best for their children

In opposition:

- Morally incorrect as children should be loved rather than judged for what they can offer
- Expensive
- Weeding out genetic imperfection which is hateful
- Normal children will become inferior
- Saviour siblings are not valued as individuals and instead as cures for others

Cloning

Cloning is the process of producing genetically-identical individuals, cells or DNA fragments. The process usually requires Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer. A nucleus is removed from a donor adult cell (somatic cells) and then placed into an egg with the current nucleus removed. In reproductive cloning, the embryo is transferred into the uterus of a surrogate mother and carried to term. In therapeutic cloning, the embryo is used for medical research into stem cells and tissues.

Reproductive Cloning

The process in which an embryo is made with the same genetic makeup as another organism as its DNA is used.

Arguments concerning Reproductive Cloning

In favour:

• Reproductive cloning already occurs in nature such as identical twins or asexual reproduction
• Cloning with plant cuttings has been done for centuries, this isn’t a big step
• Cloning animal has great potential for farming
• Cloning may help animals from becoming extinct

In Opposition:

• Cloning reduces diversity
• Expensive
• What if humans try to clone themselves
• Unnatural and playing God

Therapeutic Cloning

In Therapeutic cloning, embryonic stem cells are obtained which have more potential than adult body cells. They have the opportunity to become a variety of specialized cell types. They can help to regenerate cells in certain illnesses such as spinal injury. Embryonic stem cells are more undifferentiated than adult stem cells.
Arguments concerning therapeutic cloning

In favour:

• Usefulness of the research outweighs the destruction of the embryos
• Many people do not regard an embryo as living
• If abortion is allowed then surely this should be also
• Curing humans is morally loving

In opposition:

• Life begins at conception and is sacred
• Adult body cells should be considered instead, as embryonic cells have the same chance of being rejected
• Hybrid embryos are unnatural