h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

thanks for a clear and considerably researched entry.

I look forward to more stem cell autografts which will reduce the ethical questions a lot.

Do you think that freezing umbilical cord in liquid N2 will ever get anywhere? Stem cells there are disposed of anyway with no ethical fuss.

Given the number of folk needing transplants and the number born the financial costs would be great and keeping the specimen for 100 yr or so would be an admin nightmare. Only really an option in 1st world countries in view of costs.

I suppose there might be an ethical issue if a child died and parents wanted to clone. Unlikely but given time and the nature of things it isn't beyond the realms of possibility if you look at how things have gone recently.

Hiya!

You're too kind

Re umbilical cord autografts:

It is a good idea, but, as you say, the admin costs would be astronomical, and there is the question of whether each person born would need a transplant. The ethical question in that would be what would happen to them when you die... It would be interesting to see whether the NHS would be able to provide such a service in the future

Cloning, I feel, has been painted by sci-fi horror movies as 'a bad thing', however, when you take a cutting from a plant, that is cloning, but not wrong. The ethical issues are huge with the situation that you mention, but the public's perception of cloning as a whole is a little too simplistic. That's why scientists come up with the name of 'embryonic stem cell technology' which is cloning, but cloning always gets bad press. It's a PR thing, I guess. Personally, I think it's a minefield, and a little unsettling if a perent would ask for such a favour. Damned movies

Thanks again for reading the entry; I'm happy you found it useful!

Stay ,
WD