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Genetic Engineering: The Final Frontier In February of 1997 Dolly, thefirst
successful mammalian clone, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Aftertheextensive
news coverage of this momentous event, the study of geneticengineering and
recombinant DNA was thrown into the public spotlight.From thatday until this,
peoples, governments and organizations throughout theworld have heatedly
discussed the issues surrounding genetic modificationandengineering. Over the
past several years there has been loud publicoutcry against such experimental
procedures because of the possibility ofdeadlyoutcomes. Even though not much is
known about genetic engineering in itsmany forms, this significant discovery has
the boundless potential toimproveour lives It is true that we are just on the
brink of discovering all ofthe dangers and benefits of genetic engineering and a
lot of importantinformation still remains unknown. But instead of seeing the
immensepotential benefits of this mind-boggling discovery, the American public
-fed onscience fiction novels, horror stories of environmental disaster,
a"growing mistrust of science" (Nelkin 1), and the fear of the
unknownautomatically reject this god-sent breakthrough. Even though the
risksare great, the beneficial possibilities are endless. Genetic
engineeringshould be allowed to progress because of the potential benefits for
thehuman species outweigh the consequences. For example, it will bepossible
forcows to be genetically engineered to produce pharmaceuticals in theirmilk.
This means that vaccination shots and pills would becomeobsolete. Babies could
be brought up immune to diseases by simply beingfed this milk. Imagine the
impact on the quality of life for people wholivein third world countries like
Somalia Whole countries could be madehealthy and immune to disease.
Malnutrition, a common problem in manythird worldcountries “where impoverished
peoples rely on a single crop such as ricefor the main staple of their diet”
(Whitman 3), could also possibly becuredwith genetic engineering. Rice does not
provide all of the nutrients thatthe body needs and in these countries other
food is very scarce. If riceorbread, another major staple, are genetically
engineered to containadditional necessary vitamins and minerals then we could go
a long waytowardswiping out malnutrition all over the world. But perhaps the
area thatstands to benefit the most from genetic engineering is medicine.
Organtransplants and cosmetic procedures, like silicone breast implants, thatmay
cause disease would soon cease to exist. Instead of using materialsforeign to
the body for such procedures, doctors will be able tomanufacture bone, fat,
connective tissue, or cartilage that match thepatient'stissues exactly, thus
ensuring that his/her immune system will not rejectthe needed tissue. Victims of
terrible accidents that deform the face andbody would be able to have their
features repaired with new, safertechnology. Limbs for amputees would be
regenerated and anyone would beable tohave their appearance altered to their
satisfaction without the risk ofleaking silicone gel into their bodies, or the
other problems that occurwithpresent day plastic surgery. Because genetic
engineering will insureacceptance by the body, those in desperate need of organ
and othertransplantswill one day have their prayers answered by cloning. Using
one's owncells to grow whole organs will eliminate the need for organ donors
andwaitinglists. Skin, brain cells, hearts, lungs, livers, and kidneys may all
beproduced. Those who suffer from spinal injuries, like Christopher
Reeve,mightone day be able to get out of their wheelchairs and walk again.
Geneticengineering also has the power to cure infertility, which a
painfulrealitythat many couples throughout the world face. "The current options
forinfertile couples are inefficient, painful, expensive, and
heartbreaking."(Human Cloning Foundation 1). Many couples run out of time and
moneywithout successfully having children. According to the Human
CloningFoundation,less than 10 percent of the current infertility treatments
aresuccessful. Genetic engineering could make it possible for many moreinfertile
couplesto have children than ever before by boosting success rates
throughnuclear transfer of sperm from the father into the mother's egg,
thuscreating abeautiful unique child. Even with all these miraculous benefits,
manypeople throughout the world feel that genetic engineering is
absolutelypreposterous and extremely unethical. Such opinions are
understandable,considering that the majority of people are always going to be
afraid ofthe unknown. Genetic engineering is an extremely new aspect of
ourtechnological research and should, at all costs, be allowed to
developfurther. The immense possible benefits from genetic engineering
areendless and should not be over looked. Yet, some people still wonderwhether
there “are some kinds of information leading to some sorts ofknowledge that
human beings are really better off not having” (Thomas 2).Many arguments
offered against genetic engineering have been those suchas "we would be playing
the role of God" and "it is power that humans cannot handle." At one time,
birth control pills, in-vitro fertilization,and heart transplants were
criticized on the same grounds. Throughouttime people have always been afraid of
new technology and the power itmight possess. When the car was first invented
some contemporaryscientists were convinced that the human body could not survive
at speedsas high as twenty miles per hour. Genetic engineering, then, is a
toolthat humans can use to cure many of their problems. The possibilities
areendless if only we do not let ourselves be restricted by those who areafraid
of the unknown.
Works Cited Whitman, Deborah B. "GenericallyModified Foods:
Harmful or Helpful?" April 2000.
http://www.csa.com/hottopics/gmfood/oview.html (25 Oct. 2000).
HumanCloning Foundation. "All the reasons to clone human beings." January
2000
http://www.humancloning.org/allthe.htm (7 Nov. 2000) Nelkin,
Dorothy.
"The Grandiose Claims of Geneticists." Chronicle of Higher
EducationMarch 3, 1993. |
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