Cloning is the use of technology to compose an accurate genetic copy of a living organism. The term “cloning” can also apply to the copying of cells, a gene or part of DNA (Healey, J 2007). There are two main cloning techniques: reproductive and therapeutic. Reproductive cloning is the cloning of a human being. Reproductive cloning faces many ethical barriers, but some scientists believe that reproductive cloning may one day be legal due to increasing societal acceptance of genetic technologies (Healey, J 2007). Reproductive cloning is sexual reproduction because both sets of genes come from the same “parent”. The offspring resulting from cloning technology have the same genetic makeup as their original parent. The offspring will not be completely identical to their original parent, but due to differences in mitochondrial DNA, different pregnancies and environmental influences. Some possible uses of reproductive cloning are infertility, single women, lesbians and it has even been thought that human cloning could be used to "bring back the dead". For example, grieving parents wishing to clone their dying or deceased child (Healey, J 2007). Some ethical concerns include: Many unknown risks to the baby, such as premature aging and biological, social and psychological impacts. A deceased child cannot be “brought back”, the cloned child will be the genetic double of the lost child. Cloning challenges the individuality of human beings. Attempting asexual reproduction goes against human biology and culture. Therapeutic cloning, also called somatic cell transfer (SCNT). This involves taking the nucleus from the patient's skin and inserting it into an egg cell from which the nucleus has been removed. This new cell will develop into an embryo...... middle of paper ...... Medicine, accessed May 19, 2014. Nation Human Genome Research Institute 2014, Cloning, National Institute of Health, accessed May 1, 2014 . Normile, D 2004 “Japanese panel supports therapeutic cloning”, Science, vol. 305, no. 5680, pp. 27. Pincock, S 2004 “Therapeutic cloning application envisaged in the United Kingdom”, Lanchet, vol. 363, no. 9427, p. 2147. Ralston, M 2008, Stem cell search around the world, Pew Research Religion and Public Life Project, accessed April 15, 2014, .Spriggs, M 2003 “Therapeutic cloning research and ethical oversight”, Journal of Medical Ethic, vol . 29, no. 4, pp... 207.