Developing a code of ethics for human cloning

Under what conditions might the cloning of human beings constitute an ethic al practice? A tendency exists to analyze human cloning merely as a technic al procedure. As with all revolutionary technological developments, however , human cloning potentially exists in a broad social context that will both shape and be shaped by the biological techniques. Although human cloning m ust be subjected to technical analysis that addresses fundamental ethical q uestions such as its safety and efficacy, questions exist that focus our at tention on broader issues. Asserting that cloning inevitably leads to undes irable consequences commits the fallacy of technological determinism and un tenably separates technological and ethical evaluation. Drawing from the Re port of the National Bioethics Advisory Committee(1) and Aldous Huxley's Br ave New World,(2) we offer a draft "Code of Ethics for Human Cloning" in or der to stimulate discussion about the ethics of the broader ramifications o f human cloning as well as its particular technological properties.