There are many technological advances in society today, and one of them includes genetic engineering! Its exciting yet scary nature makes many of us wonder, what is it? Is it harmful? How does it show up in our daily lives? Well, hopefully this article will provide more insight on what it is, and whether or not it should raise some eyebrows.
Genetic engineering is defined as using technology to change the DNA/genetic makeup of an organism. This process may be completed by changing a base pair of DNA or adding or deleting a part of DNA. What genetic engineering does is to modify the genetics of an organism to reflect enhanced characteristics. For example, a plant can be genetically engineered to be more tolerant to herbicides. Additionally, this process is used by many scientists for research in agriculture, technology, and to even help produce vaccines.
There are lots of great things that genetic engineering has helped us accomplish! The list includes, but is not limited to, producing cancer therapy, human insulin, growth hormones, and other medicine. Most people who argue that genetic engineering is beneficial to society state that it may help us cure diseases or disorders. Additionally, it may continue to enhance characteristics of certain organisms - especially in agriculture, where GMOs are largely present. Moreover, genetic engineering can help humans gain the characteristics that one wants. For example, people have the ability to choose the best genes for their children, and stop them from carrying unfavorable ones.
However, many of those who oppose genetic engineering mention that the process is too dangerous for humans as of now. Some clinical trials resulted in the death of a patient, while others resulted in other side effects that could be passed on to future generations. Therefore, most people are concerned with how ethical genetic engineering is. Overall, the consensus seems to be that we need more information on genetic engineering to truly test it out in society. There are still ongoing debates about whether this process is safe or not, and whether society will truly benefit from it or not.
In sum, there are pros and cons to genetic engineering, and it is still up for debate! While there are many things that genetic engineering helped us achieve, there are ethical concerns about this process, and it truly is up to us to decide the appropriate use of genetic engineering. After all, it is a powerful technological advancement!
References:
University of Missouri School of Medicine. “Gene Therapy and Genetic Engineering.” Missouri.edu, University of Missouri, 2019, medicine.missouri.edu/centers-institutes-labs/health-ethics/faq/gene-therapy.
Your Genome. “What Is Genetic Engineering?” Www.yourgenome.org, 2024, www.yourgenome.org/theme/what-is-genetic-engineering/.
Smith, Mike. “Genetic Engineering | Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms | NHGRI.” Genome.gov, National Human Genome Research Institute, 2019, www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Genetic-Engineering.
Augustyn, Adam. “Genetic Engineering.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 31 Jan. 2019, www.britannica.com/science/genetic-engineering.
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