Poohbah wrote: "The 'alternative techniques' you describe are on the same firm scientific footing as polywater, cold fusion, and unobtanium."
If one can grow a human ear on a mouse, then one can eventually grow a cloned organ in a wide variety of environments, including on animals, within humans, and in vitro. If you have trouble imagining this, I suggest you look up the word "serendipity."
If one can stick a piece of cartilage on a mouse, that's a HELL of a long ways away from growing organs that do complex things.