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Jihee Kang
Dr. Vicki Pallo
UNIV 112
April 29th 2015
“Should Genetic Engineering be frowned upon? “
Imagine a world in which our future generation is based upon a humans’
power to control the health with the use of technology. There would no longer
exist such disease like cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer’s, and etc. The world would be a
better place to live with such serenity and composure without having to worry
about your children diagnosed with defects. However, the real question is are we
ready for such high-tech advancement like the use of genetic engineering to be
used in medical field today? If so, are we going in the right direction, in another
word, not letting them fall in wrong hands? Technology is exceedingly developing
especially in the field of medicine and people are constantly looking for new ways
to make our world a better place. One of which is genetic engineering. In this
essay, I am exploring how genetic engineering is exercised upon humans and
the benefit and the harm it may bring to the world.
What is genetic engineering? According to the dictionary, genetic
engineering is the development and application of scientific methods and
technologies that permit direct manipulation of genetic material in order to alter
the hereditary trails of a cell, organism, or population. (Dictionary) How is genetic
engineering done? It is done by physically removing a gene from one organism
and inserting it into another, giving it the ability to express the trait encoded by
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that gene (Seedhouse). And this is where the controversy exists, whether we
exploit the exercise for self-interest or for the benefit of improving the health
issue.
To be able to understand the problem of genetic engineering, first we
need to examine the main possible threat which is being able to genetically
design a baby. Yes, I said it, design a baby. Because this procedure deals with
modifying genes, scientists could easily customize and revise the way certain
genes are placed according to their participant needs, of course, with the right
knowledge and experience spent into this research. Seedhouse sees athletes as
the first group of people to approve the use of genetic engineering in their bodies.
He believes that sport will enter a high-tech arms race between cheaters and
testers which redefines what it means to be an athlete because athletes are
made not born. This will create a huge gap between normal and genetically
designed people whether it’s in sports or in entertainment wise. He also points
out the potential possibility of cancer led by DNA fragment which causes a
change in the genome (Seedhouse). Because this procedure isn’t fully finished
and acknowledged yet, in fact it is still being researched, it needs a great deal of
time, practice, and fund put into this new biotechnological performance. This also
leads to a controversial ethical dispute. Fukuyama views the new biomedical
technologies as threats because they are a challenge to the fundamental idea of
human rights and a challenge to political economic stability with potential for
promoting violent conflict (Ashcraft). He is correct in his view because this is
dealt with modification of human genes which means you are basically defying
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human rights and letting technology take control over your body. This could also
promote the evolution of black market where fetuses from desirable donors that
will want to be able to clone themselves (Avise). Hence the misuse of genetic
engineering could go terribly wrong which will affect our society and create a
quarrel between middle and high class if there isn’t a law that regulates the
mistreatment of genetic engineering.
On the other hand, equally important is the benefit genetic engineering
could yield to the medicinal field. The biggest achievement it could produce is the
cure to some of lethal diseases. Each year globally, about 14 million people learn
they have cancer, and 8 million people die from the disease (Cancer). Genetic
engineering could be used in diminution of growing diseases like cancer, aids,
and Alzheimer’s disease (Avise). By isolating the exact genes that cause these
diseases, genetic engineering can be served as medicine for saving human lives
and improving their health. Being able to terminate a disease like cancer and
many more, it protects people from catching a terrible disease which then
possibly lead to a longer human life expectancy which could be marked as a
huge pinpoint in our history. It could also aid in people with infertility (Vorzimer).
By genetically modifying the embryos, parents who are in dire need of help can
make their dream come true. Not only that but genetic engineering could also be
used in agriculture and in food crops. Despite the unfortunate consequence
genetic engineering could bring, there are also numerous helpful way it could
affect our world. With this in mind, genetic engineering could be the next huge
step in accomplishing welfare in human lives. Now the procedure isn’t 100%
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proved to be successful in doing these exercises but scientists are researching
as much as they can to make this come true.
The most ethical solution to the problem is being able to utilize them within
the limit that provides safety and protection, rather than banning the use
completely. If we were to completely terminate the use of genetic engineering,
then what was and is the point of science? Weren’t we and aren’t we always
looking for a better solution and new discovery to this world? Banning this kind of
technology would be a huge loss to the society and for our future. And in fact, In
the United Kingdom, the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA)
and the Human Genetics Advisory Commission (HGEC) have approved human
cloning for therapeutic purposes, but not to clone children (“Human Cloning”). In
the same way UK approached the law, USA should pass a law that allows
genetic engineering to only be used for health issue and not for creation of
human being by technology. In order to fulfill this need, we need to educate
people with this subject and come up with an organization group that would
support this cause and really speak out to the government for this law. The use
of genetic engineering could completely change the perspective of medicine and
may accomplish better results and goals that we haven’t found yet. And secondly
we need acceptance. We need to be able to accept this new technology and see
how we can use this to protect and furthermore continue our humanity. By being
able to accept our technology, we are taking a big step into our new future with
hopes and dreams. After all, our goal is to make world a better place for us and
for our generation. We only hope for the best and we are yet the most vital
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subject in this universe and it’s normal to stride for better future, for better
tomorrow.
Gregory Stock once said, “The choice of life is not whether we’re going to
go down this path. We are definitely; It’s how we hold it in our hearts. “The
bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them,
both glory and danger alike. And yet notwithstanding, they go out and they meet
it.” (Stock). Yes the world is changing fast with technology and it’s scary but isn’t
it time we just simply accept the power of technology and let them do the magic?
With the use of genetic engineering in the right hand, we can prevent horrible
diseases and possible deaths that cause from and approach the next big
evolution we are about to face after.
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Works Cited
Ashcraft, R E. “American Biofutures: Ideology and Utopia in the
Fukuyama/Stock debate.” Medical Ethics 29 (2003): 59-62 pg. Web. 1
Apr. 2015.
Avise, Henry. “Genetic Tinkering with Humans.” The Hope, Hype & Reality
of Genetic Engineering: Remarkable Stories From Agriculture,
Industry, Medicine, and the Environment. Oxford University, 2004.
152. pag. Web.b.ebscohost.com. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.
“Cancer Prevention and Control.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3
Feb. 2015. Web. 29 Apr. 2015
Cha, Ariana Eunjung and Sandhya Somashekhar. “FDA panel debates
technique that would create embryos with three genetic parents.”
Washingtonpost.com. The Washington Post, 25 Feb. 2014. Web. 1 Apr.
2015.
“Human Cloning”. Society for the Protection of Unborn Children. SPUC, 2015.
Web. 29 Apr. 2015.
Seedhouse, Erik. “Ethics.” Engineering Our Future Evolution. SpringerVerlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2014. 45 pag. Link.springer.com. Web. 1 Apr.
2015.
Stock, Gregory. “To Upgrade is Human.” TED. Ted, Apr. 2009. Web. 29 Apr.
2015
Vorzimer, Andrew. “Genetically Modified Embryos: Cure for Infertility Or Ethically
Unacceptable?” The Spin Doctor. The Spin Doctor, 20 July. 2012. Web.
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29 Apr. 2015