Download UGAMUNC 2009 World Health Organization 1 Hello Delegates

Hello Delegates!
Welcome to the World Heath Organization’s World Health Assembly! This year is looking to be
one of the best yet, so I’m thrilled to be working with such a great committee and staff. As the
Co-Chair for WHO, I am really excited about the committee and feel that we are going to have a
wonderful debate as we examine some truly stimulating and pertinent topics for the World
Health Organization. The topics we are focusing on this year are as follows: the role of
government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector in the prevention and
treatment of infectious diseases; climate change and public health; and genetics, cloning, and
ethics involved. The following pages contain background information and questions to consider
concerning each of the three topics; however, please remember that this is just a basis for your
research. If you have any questions about the topics or information within them, please feel free
to contact either me, Katherine Cherry, or my Co-Chair, Catherine McCabe.
I am currently a sophomore here at UGA, though I am originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee. I
am double-majoring in International Affairs and English, with a minor in Spanish. This is my
first year on the UGA Model United Nations team; however, I had the privilege of attending
numerous conferences throughout the Southeast as a part of my high school’s Model United
Nations team.
My Co-Chair for this committee, Catherine McCabe is also new to the UGA team. She is a firstyear student originally from Cumming, GA. Currently, Catherine’s plans are to triple-major in
History, Political Science, and International Relations. Catherine has always been very interested
in International Politics and Historical Issues, and she says that she is excited to be able to share
that with many others through the Model UN program. Other than Model UN, Catherine also
participates in the Brumby Bible Study and the UGA Quidditch League here at UGA.
We both are excited to be working with you this year! As UGAMUNC approaches, please feel
free to email us with any questions or concerns you may have about topics, the committee, or
UGAMUNC in general! See you all in February!
Sincerely,
Katherine Cherry
Co-Chair, WHO
UGAMUNC
[email protected]
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Background of the World Health Organization (WHO)
The World Health Organization (WHO) was established on 7 April 1948 as a subsidiary body of
the United Nations charged with coordinating efforts concerning international public health. Its
predecessor, the Heath Organization, had been part of the failed League of Nations. As stated in
the WHO constitution, the organization’s overarching objective "is the attainment by all peoples
of the highest possible level of health."1
All United Nations member states are automatically eligible to join WHO while all other states
can petition for membership. Currently, WHO has 193 member states which includes all UN
member states except Liechtenstein. The WHO is financed through donations of both member
states and outside donors. Voluntary contributions to the WHO from national and local
governments, foundations and NGOs, other UN organizations, and the private sector, now
exceed that of assessed contributions (dues) from the 193 member nations.
The WHO serves a number of functions and operates in many areas around the world. One of the
organization’s primary functions is to work to monitor and eradicate some of the world’s most
deadly diseases (e.g. AIDS, malaria.) The WHO supports the development and distribution of
safe and effective vaccines, pharmaceutical diagnostics, and drugs. In one of its greatest
successes, the WHO declared in 1980 that smallpox had been eradicated - the first disease in
history to be eliminated by human effort. Currently, a similar program is in place for polio, as
workers seek to eliminate the disease worldwide within the next few years. In addition to the
monitoring and documenting of disease outbreaks, the WHO also carries out various healthrelated campaigns — for example, to boost the consumption of fruits and vegetables worldwide
and to discourage tobacco use.
The WHO operates in an increasingly complex and diverse world. The boundaries of public
health action have become blurred, extending into other sectors that influence health
opportunities and outcomes. WHO responds to these challenges using a simple six-point agenda.
The six points address two health objectives, two strategic needs, and two operational
approaches. The six points on the WHO agenda are: to promote development, to foster health
security, to strengthen health systems, to harness research that produces information and
evidence, to enhance partnerships, and finally, to improve performance.
1
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hist/official_records/constitution.pdf
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Topic I: The Role of Government, Non-Governmental
Organizations, and the Private Sector in the Prevention and
Treatment of Infectious Diseases
Introduction
“Infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses,
parasites or fungi; the diseases can be spread, directly or indirectly, from one person to another.
Zoonotic diseases are infectious diseases of animals that can cause disease when transmitted to
humans”.2 Infectious diseases are a major concern for the World Health Organization not only
because of their highly contagious nature but also because of their prevalence in all areas of the
world. Every person on the planet is either directly or indirectly affected by infectious disease.
While the category is broad, each region of
the earth copes with specific infectious
illnesses. “Almost 90% of deaths from
infectious diseases are caused by only a
handful of diseases. Most of them have
plagued mankind throughout history, often
ravaging populations more effectively than
wars.”3 It is for this reason that the World
Health Organization has included the
prevention and treatment of several
infectious diseases as a focus for the
organization, ranging from HIV/AIDS to
Tuberculosis. With the recent advent of
infectious diseases such as Avian Influenza
and SARS, the topic has been moved to the
forefront of WHO’s focus.
This guide addresses the impact of
infectious disease not only on regional but also on global public health, bringing to light issues of
the global impact of regional diseases and the role of outside entities in assisting nations’ efforts
to subdue infectious disease.
WHO Partnerships
“WHO carries out its work with the support and collaboration of many partners, including UN
agencies and other international organizations, donors, civil society and members of the private
sector. WHO uses the strategic power of evidence to encourage partners implementing programs
within countries to align their activities with best technical guidelines and practices, as well as
with the priorities established by countries.”4
2
WHO Infectious Diseases http://www.who.int/topics/infectious_diseases/en/
National Institute for Medical Research http://www.nimr.mrc.ac.uk/immunoreg/
4
The WHO Agenda http://www.who.int/about/agenda/en/index.html
3
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WHO has orchestrated several initiatives ranging
from The Global Collaboration for Development
of Pesticides for Public Health to the Violence
Prevention Alliance. Such partnerships have
helped create the necessary links between WHO
goals and their practical implementation on a
global scale.
The image to the left is a diagram of the parties
brought together for the World Health
Organization’s Global Collaboration for Blood
Safety.5 As shown in the diagram, the WHO has
historically collaborated with a variety of actors
for each initiative in order to encompass the
broad concerns of public health. It is important
for delegates to distinguish and define which key actors, if any, should participate in addressing
the topic at hand: the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.
Global Impact of Regional Diseases
A recent concern of the World Health Organization has been the cross-border spread of
infectious diseases. The International Health Regulations were drawn up to respond to the
concerns raised by this issue. “The International Health Regulations (IHR) are an international
legal instrument that is binding on 194 countries across the globe, including all the Member
States of WHO. Their aim is to help the international community prevent and respond to acute
public health risks that have the potential to cross borders and threaten people worldwide.”6
The IHR has huge repercussions in the
arena of infectious diseases. It brings
issues that were once contained within a
single nation or region to the attention
of the global community. Regional
diseases, if not checked, have the
potential to be devastating on a global
scale because of the unprecedented
world travel and migration of our time.
For this reason, all nations in both the
developing and developed world have a
vested interest in preventing and
controlling a variety of infectious
diseases, ranging from TB to SARS,
that may be occurring in other member
states.
5
6
WHO- GCBS Structure http://www.who.int/bloodsafety/gcbs/structure/en/index.html
WHO-IHR http://www.who.int/features/qa/39/en/index.html
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An example of the importation of infectious diseases can be seen on the map to the previous
page. This map shows the global travel path of jungle yellow fever during the late 1990’s.7 As
you can see, the illness spread far beyond one country’s border or even a localized region of the
globe.
WHO’s Current Response
Currently, the WHO has put much effort toward pulling together Epidemic Rapid Response
teams to contain outbreaks of communicable diseases in various regions of the world. The
epidemic and pandemic alert and response program is “an integrated global alert and response
system for epidemics and other public health emergencies based on strong national public health
systems and capacity and an effective international system for coordinated response.”8
Questions to Consider
1. What roles, if any, do the world community, both governmental and non-governmental,
and the private sector play in assisting nations’ prevention and treatment of prevalent
infectious diseases?
2. What is the most pressing infectious disease in your country or region?
3. What infectious disease do you view as posing the greatest risk to the global community
if not dealt with regionally?
4. What infectious disease do you believe is the top priority for the global community at
large and why?
5. How do you propose to successfully prevent and treat such a disease?
6. How do issues of state sovereignty play into the cross-border spread and prevention of
certain diseases?
Suggested Additional Research
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7
8
WHO-Partnerships (http://www.who.int/civilsociety/partnerships/en/index.html)
WHO-Infectious Diseases (http://www.who.int/topics/infectious_diseases/en/)
WHO-International Health Regulations
(http://www.who.int/features/qa/39/en/index.html)
WHO-Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response
(http://www.who.int/csr/en/index.html)
PAHO-WHO (http://www.paho.org/Project.asp?SEL=TP&LNG=ENG&ID=118)
WHO-Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response http://www.who.int/csr/en/index.html
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Topic II: Climate Change and Public Health
Introduction
Warming of the climate system is unambiguous. Higher global average air and ocean
temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level clearly
evidence this change.9 World leaders have reached a consensus on the need to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions, the principle cause of global warming. In February, 2007, leaders from 20
countries, including the United States and China, signed a resolution that sets the stage for a
post-Kyoto protocol agreement.10 Despite such advancements, climate change and its
consequences are inevitable in the near future. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
projects that a warming of about 0.2°C per decade will occur over the next two decades under a
range of future emission scenarios. Even if the concentrations of all greenhouse gases and
aerosols had been maintained at year 2000 levels, additional warming of about 0.1°C per decade
would be likely.11 Policymakers must take steps to mitigate the inevitable consequences of
climate change.
Climate change has numerous and variable affects on health across the globe. Addressing these
affects falls under the mandate of the World Health Organization. This background guide
discusses the impact of global warming on public health and describes the WHO’s current
response.
Climate Change and Public Health
Climate change has numerous direct and indirect implications for public health. These
implications are not wholly negative, as some regions stand to benefit from higher temperatures.
However, warming is likely to harm the health status of millions of people, especially those in
developing nations that lack resources to adapt. The mechanisms through which climate change
will most likely harm public health include the following: increases in malnutrition and
associated disorders; increases in deaths, disease, and injury due to heat waves, floods, storms,
fires, and droughts; increases in the burden of diarrheal disease; increases in the frequency of
cardio-respiratory diseases due to higher concentrations of ground-level ozone; and the altered
spatial distribution of some infectious diseases.
Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change. Between 75 million and 250
million people by 2020 will face increased water stress due to climate change, exacerbating the
affect of water-related diseases. Climate change will also severely compromise agricultural
production by decreasing the area suitable for agriculture, shortening the length of growing
9
IPCC, 2007: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of
Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Solomon, S.,
D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M.Tignor and H.L. Miller (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.
10
Hall, Tim. "World Leaders Reach Climate Change Agreement” Telegraph (Feb. 17, 2007),
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1542857/World-leaders-reach-climate-change-agreement.html.
(accessed November 2, 2008).
11
IPCC, 2007: Summary for Policymakers.
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seasons, and decreasing yield potential. This will exacerbate malnutrition on the continent—
yields from rain-fed agriculture in some countries could decline by up to 50%. Decreasing
fisheries in large lakes due to rising water temperatures will further decrease food supplies. The
cost of adaptation to these and other non-health climate change problems could amount to at
least 5-10% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a cost that many African countries cannot afford
to pay.
In Asia, freshwater availability in the Central, South, East, and Southeast regions, particularly in
large river basins, will decrease. Accounting for population growth and increasing demand
arising from higher standards of living, more than a billion people will be adversely affected by
the 2050's. Coastal areas will face significant flooding risks and their associated health
consequences. In East and Southeast Asia, crop yields will increase up to 20% by the midtwenty-first century. However, a projected 30% percent decline in crop yields in Central and
South Asia will offset the aforementioned increase. Considering the influence of rapid
population growth and urbanization, the risk of hunger will remain extremely high in some
developing countries. Finally, mortality due to diarrheal disease associated with floods and
droughts will rise in East, South, and Southeast Asia, and increases in costal water temperature
will exacerbate the abundance and toxicity of cholera in the Southern region.
Australia and New Zealand will experience intensified water security problems, as precipitation
declines and evaporation increases. Some coastal regions will face increases in the severity and
frequency of storms and coastal flooding by 2050. Increased drought and fire will decrease
agricultural production over much of southern and eastern Australia, while New Zealand might
experience initial benefits due to a longer growing season, less frost, and increased rainfall.
Europe will experience an increased risk of inland flash floods, more frequent coastal flooding,
and increased erosion. In Southern Europe, climate change will reduce water availability and
crop productivity. Heat waves are an especially important public health concern. In Central and
Eastern Europe, summer precipitation will likely decrease, increasing water stress. Health risks
due to heat waves are also likely to increase. Climate change in Northern Europe will have
mixed effects, including increased crop yields and forest growth. However, increased flood
likelihood and endangered ecosystems will outweigh these benefits as climate change worsens.
Dry areas of Latin America will face salinisation and desertification of agricultural land. As a
result, crop and livestock productivity will decline, with adverse consequences for food security.
In temperate zones, however, soybean yields will likely increase. Sea-level rise will increase
flooding risks in low-lying areas. Finally, changes in precipitation patterns and the disappearance
of glaciers will decrease water availability for human consumption and agriculture.
In North America, warming is likely to increase winter flooding and reduce summer water flows
in the western mountains. Pests, diseases, and fire will have an increasingly deleterious affect on
forests. While moderate climate change will increase aggregate yields of rain-fed agriculture by
5-20%, these benefits will vary significantly by region and will be offset somewhat by a decline
in production of crops near the warm end of their suitable range or which depend on overutilized water resources. Furthermore, cities that currently experience heat waves will face
adverse health impacts from an increased number, intensity, and duration of heat waves. Finally,
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coastal communities will become increasingly vulnerable to rising sea-levels and more intense
tropical storms.
Small islands are especially vulnerable to climate change. Deterioration of coastal conditions
will harm local fisheries. Sea-level rise will exacerbate inundation, storm surge, and erosion,
threatening the health of surrounding settlements. Finally, climate change will reduce water
resources in many small islands, especially in the Caribbean and Pacific, to the point where they
become insufficient to meet demand during low-rainfall period. Delegates should weigh the
magnitude of these global and regional health impacts of climate change when determining the
WHO’s response.
Delegates should also take into account the probability that these health impacts will occur in the
future. While future warming is inevitable, the rate of future temperature changes is debatable.
This rate affects the severity and likelihood of the above public health problems. Figure 1 below
shows predicted climate change consequences as a function of global mean annual temperature
Figure 1: Key Impacts as a Function of Increasing Global Average Temperature Change
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change relative to 1980-1999 levels. Delegates should predict the rate of future warming to
determine the probability that climate change will harm public health. The WHO’s response
should reflect this probability assessment.
Other considerations include the timing of these impacts, their persistence/reversibility, and
distributional justice.12
WHO’s Current Response
WHO recognizes the public health risks that climate change entails. A recent assessment
concluded that climate change that has occurred since the mid-1970s may be responsible for over
150,000 deaths in 2000. Based on this assessment, these impacts are likely to increase in the
future. To address this challenge, WHO coordinates reviews of the scientific evidence on the
links between climate change and health. WHO also works directly to build capacity to adapt to
climate change. Current capacity-building efforts include workshops to raise awareness of the
health implications of climate change and to support policies to reduce health vulnerability now.
However, more can be done within WHO's mandate to address the public health consequences of
climate change.
In addition to strengthening adaptation capacity-building efforts, WHO can promote greenhouse
gas mitigation policies which yield direct health benefits.13 For example, the adoption of readily
available improved technologies to reduce fossil-fuel combustion in Santiago, Mexico City, Sao
Paulo, and New York over the next two decades could reduce pollutants by about 10%, avoiding
64,000 premature deaths, 65,000 chronic bronchitis cases, and 37 million person-days of
restricted activity or work loss in these four cities alone through 2020.14
Delegates should consider policies to improve the WHO’s efforts to combat the public health
consequences of climate change.
Questions to Consider
1. What is the magnitude of the public health consequences of climate change on both a
regional scale and a global scale? What kind of response does this magnitude justify?
2. What is the probability of severe public health consequences of climate change? Is this
probability high enough to justify a significant response?
3. What other priorities should the international community consider when assessing the
need to address public health effects of climate change?
12
IPCC, 2007: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability.
Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, M.L. Parry, O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden and C.E. Hanson, Eds., Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, UK, 7-22.
13
World Health Organization, "Climate and Health: Fact Sheet." July, 2005.
http://www.who.int/globalchange/news/fsclimandhealth/en/index.html (accessed November 2, 2008).
14
Cifuentes, Luis, Victor H. Borja-Aburto, Nelson Gouveia, George Thurston, and Devra Lee Davis. "Hidden Health
Benefits of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation." Science 293, no. 5533 (2001): 1257-59.
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4. What capacity-building and direct mitigations policies should the WHO adopt to combat
the public health consequences of climate change?
Suggested Additional Reading
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Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (http://www.ipcc.ch/index.htm)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/climatechange/)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/health.html)
WHO Climate Change Publications (http://www.who.int/globalchange/publications/en/)
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Topic III: Genetics, Cloning, and Ethics involved
Introduction
As the world moves through the new technology era, countries find themselves questioning the
ethics of genetics and cloning as the technology and the ability to create clones and genetically
altered organisms spreads. The question of how to improve humans by enhancing the human
genome and how to create viable clones for health-related purposes, as well as the ethics
involved have been on the forefront of many minds since the creation of Dolly. The WHO
defines genetics as the study of heredity as stated in the report of the Advisory Committee on
Health research in Geneva in 2002, and defines genomics as the study of genes and their
functions, and related techniques.15 The difference between the two lie in the number of genes
studied: genetics focuses on one gene at a time, and genomics focuses on all the genes and the
connections between them. The WHO defines clone as an organism that is a genetic copy of
an existing organism. The term is applied by scientists not only to entire organisms but to
molecules (such as DNA) and cells.
Health ethics has been a large part of many activities of the WHO for many years and is
addressed not only by the Department of Ethics, Equity, Trade and Human Rights (ETH), but
also throughout the entire organization. In October 2002, the WHO created the Ethics and Health
Initiative in order to provide a center for the examination of the ethical issues. Work in ethics and
health is now carried out by the Department of Ethics, Equity, Trade and Human Rights in the
Information, Research and Evidence cluster at headquarters.16
Genetics, Genomics, and Ethics
Modern genetics and genomics began with the first x-ray diffraction photographs of DNA in
1951 by Rosalind Franklin. Since then, various experiments and procedures have been done in
the genetics field. In 1958, purified DNA polymerase I was created from E. coli, the first enzyme
that made DNA in a test tube. In 1972, Paul Berg and Herb Boyer produced the first recombinant
DNA molecules. In 1978, Somatostatin became the first human hormone produced using
recombinant DNA technology. In 1983, James Gusella used blood samples collected by Nancy
Wexler and her co-workers to demonstrate that the Huntington's disease gene is on chromosome
4. In 1988, the Human Genome Project began with the goal of determining the entire sequence of
DNA composing human chromosomes. In 1989, Alec Jeffreys coined the term DNA
fingerprinting and was the first to use DNA polymorphisms in paternity, immigration, and
murder cases. In 1990, the first gene replacement therapy took place. T cells of a four-year old
girl were exposed outside of her body to retroviruses containing an RNA copy of a normal ADA
gene, which allowed her immune system to begin functioning. And finally, in 1993, FlavrSavr
tomatoes, genetically engineered for longer shelf life, were marketed as the first genetically
altered product available for public consummation.17 Various medical applications for genetic
15
Genomics and World Health. Rep.No. Advisary Committee on Health Research, World Health Organization.
Newton, MA: Digital Design Group, 2002.
16
"Ethics and Health at WHO." World Health Organization. <http://www.who.int/ethics/about/en/index.html>.
17
Lane, Jo A. "History of Genetics Timeline." The National Health Museum. 1994
<http://www.accessexcellence.org/ae/aepc/wwc/1994/geneticstln.php>.
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research and engineering include: (1) linking genetic-based disorders to certain strains of DNA,
(2) predicting the genetic make-up of unborn children, and (3) combating diseases at a genetic
level.
There are many societal concerns and issues with the use of genetics and genomics in health
research. Some include: privacy and confidentiality of genetic information, psychological
impact, reproductive issues and rights, uncertainties in gene testing, philosophical implications,
and health and environmental safety issues.18
The WHO recognizes the potential use for genetics and genomics in public health applications.
At a meeting about Human Genetics in 2002, a list of its accomplishments was reported,
including: creation of global networks of experts, developed activities for the prevention and
control of various diseases, discussions on genetic approaches to common diseases, initiated the
development of guidance, pioneered an extensive research database, and the creation global
network of ethical, social, and legal implications.19 The Human Genetics Department of the
WHO supports international activities on the development of genetic for the prevention and
control of hereditary diseases.20
Cloning and Ethics
Cloning has been occurring naturally in the world for thousands of years, through various forms
of reproduction. The first cloned animals were created in the late 1800’s by Hans Dreisch using
sea urchins. There were no major advances in cloning until 1958, when a group of scientists in
Philadelphia cloned a frog embryo using nuclear transplanting. In 1986, two teams of scientists,
one team lead by Steen Willadsen in England, which cloned a sheep's embryo, and another led
by Neal First in America, which cloned a cow's embryo. In July of 1996, Dolly was the first
animal to be successfully created from an adult by Ian Wilmut. It took 277 tries before Dolly was
created. The success rate increased as the technology improved, and in 1997 Honolulu
Technique got the success rate to 50:1, rather then the 277:1 it has previously been. Some
medical applications from cloning include: (1) providing test subjects that all react the same way
to the same drug, (2) allowing mass production of genetically altered animals, plants, and
bacteria, and (3) provide evidence to settle once and for all what part of personality is dependent
on genetics and what part on environment.21
Many arguments have presented both the pros and cons of cloning. Some of the arguments
against include: the physical harm that may occur to both the fetus and the mother, lack of
thorough laboratory and animal studies, the fact that there is no consent able to be given,
18
"Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues." Human Genome Project Information. Human Genome Program.
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/human_genome/elsi/elsi.shtml
19
Human Genetics: Achievements." World Health Organization.
http://www.who.int/genomics/about/achievements/en/index.html
20
"About WHO's Human Genetics." World Health Organization.
<http://www.who.int/genomics/about/en/index.html>.
21
"History of Cloning." Oracle ThinkQuest.
<http://library.thinkquest.org/20830/frameless/manipulating/experimentation/cloning/longdoc.htm>.
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conflicts of interest, psychological harm, lack of human dignity, and finally the ability for only a
small, privileged group to pay for the procedures. Some of the arguments for include: a new
treatment option for infertile couples, the predictability of the genetic make-up of future children,
and the argument that people should be free to choose their own form of reproduction.
As of right now, 35 nations have written laws forbidding reproductive cloning. Germany,
Switzerland, and some jurisdictions in the United States prohibit all forms of human cloning.
Other countries including the United Kingdom, China, and Israel and other jurisdictions in the
United States prohibit only “reproductive” cloning, but allow the creation of cloned human
embryos for research. In 2002, the United Nations General Assembly discussed an international
convention against the reproductive cloning of human beings. As of right now the debate is still
ongoing, with the main issue being whether the ban should include research as well as
reproductive cloning. As for the position of the WHO, the organization considers that the
developments of reproductive cloning have become too unpredictable and dangerous, therefore
resolved that the use of cloning "for the replication of human individuals is ethically
unacceptable and contrary to human dignity and integrity."22
Questions to consider
1. In what ways can the WHO change the effectiveness of global genetic research?
2. Is the banning of human cloning correct, or should countries be able to decide whether or
not they have the right to clone humans?
3. Should all forms of cloning be banned internationally, or should each nation be able to
continue deciding individual policies?
4. Does the potential good of the research in genetics, genomics, and cloning outweigh the
debated unethical procedures? If not, should the research be allowed to continue?
5. How could cloning or its research benefit WHO and further its mission?
6. If the genetic codes are found for various hereditary diseases, how should the WHO go
about preventing and controlling the diseases across the globe?
Suggested Research
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22
Genomics and World Health: Report of the Advisory Committee on Health research,
Geneva, WHO (2002) http://whqlibdoc.who.int/hq/2002/a74580.pdf
WHA57.13 Genomics and World Health
http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA57/A57_R13-en.pdf
WHO Ethics and Health http://www.who.int/ethics/en/
Human Genome Project Info
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/home.shtml
"A Dozen Questions (and Answers) on Human Cloning." World Health Organization.
http://www.who.int/ethics/topics/cloning/en/
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