Ethical Issues: The Alteration Of Human Genome

Genetic Modification is often perceived as the answer to humanity’s faults because it will enhance human abilities, prevent the survival of incapacitating disabilities, and guide the innovation of the future. Sounds pretty good, right? That is not the reality. Genetic modification is not the solution to the ubiquitous problems of the human race, but rather infringes on individual rights, decreases diversity, permits too much power to the human race, and contributes to overpopulation.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if everyone was smart, athletic, and beautiful? Well, recently, scientists have been experimenting with human DNA to make a “better” person. Mostly all of these embryos died off, and those who lived were the same as your average human (OI) . I do not believe it is morally right to use human DNA and genes to alter the appearance and abilities of people. Although people may argue otherwise, I know that this is not right.

Genetic engineering is the figurehead of the ethical concerns of scientists in the 21st century. Nothing is more engrossed with criticism and dislike than the idea of altering the baseline for living organisms. Many people are skeptical of genetic engineering due to the versatility it exhibits. A scientist could use a genetic editing tool, such as CRISPR, to remove the genes for a hereditary disease in an embryo, but they could also utilize it to alter the physical characteristics of a human baby. This thought provoked the flood gates of ethics to unleash a multitude of unanswered questions and concerns about the usage and further development of genetic engineering. The field of genetic engineering is

This could be illustrated in the Human Genome Project, which mapped all human genes in order to eventually understand the effect of each gene in human behaviour. Wallace (2004) claims that the Human Genome Project is perhaps not ethically neutral. Misuse of ethically sensible data was already seen in Nazi Germany and the eugenic policies in many modern societies with practices such as sterilization of individuals thought to be inferior. This should serve as a warning to modern geneticists. First of all genetic research is by nature correlational, which means that it is not possible to state a clear cause-effect relationship between genes and disorders like depression. Secondly, researchers are far from being able to determine the specific role of genes in psychiatric disorders.

During this fall semester, I think I learned a lot about biology. Among them, I was interested in gene and I think I studied more of it. The three major elements of the gene we know basically, the function of the gene, the mutation of the gene, the component of the gene, etc. I have superficially learned basic information and basic knowledge about genes. Form a different perspective, I may say I learned a lot. Meanwhile, I received this extra credit assignment and found an interesting article about genes. I found this news article on BBC News. I found an interesting title and read it. The article is a “New developments in human gene editing face an ethical and regulatory quagmire in the US”. This

- The main topic of this article is about how a woman named Kelly Smith, lost 195lbs using appetite suppressant weight loss protein shakes

(N.A.S.E.M). These principles are beneficial to the public in regards to the future fair use of

Altering a person’s genes create an ethical issue that needs to be thought out. Altering a person’s genes could help prevent disease but without laws being in place for the extent of using this alteration, parents would be playing god with genetics (scientists seek ban). Not only would parents be playing god, but the most fundamental issue is how we will view humanity in the future and “whether we are going to take the dramatic step of modifying our own germline and in a sense take control of our genetic destiny” said George Q. Daley who is a stem cell expert at Boson Children’s hospital. (Scientists seek ban). Even though scientist want to know more about the genes ethics is important to them. Volti talks about how if this is available to

Genetic engineering is the process of manipulating genes by adding new DNA or modifying the genome (which is a made of DNA) to add new beneficial traits in that organism using biotechnology. It removes the DNA from one organism and transfers into another organism. This changes the actions of the genes to serve human goals. DNA plays a huge role in this process. It contains human’s unique genetic code and also hold the instruction to make the proteins in the body.

Gene editing has been morally debated for the past 75 years, when the first live attenuated vaccine in the 1950s. Many people do not fully understand what gene editing actually is, and what can and can’t be done with it. The “test tube babies” idea was first conceived in the 1970s with in-vitro fertilization, and at the time people did not realize that science was not yet advanced enough to do that, but the ability to do that now is just right around the corner. While there is many ethical questions surrounding altering an embryo, maybe the benefits will outweigh the risks.

Essentially, this procedure involves moving around DNA combinations in order to reverse diseases and stop them from showing up in the future. Affected cells can be deleted and new and improved cells can be added (Rojahn). This technique can basically be done on anyone, but it is mostly done on fetus’ because it is easier to stop the disease before it actually develops. Genetic modification has been prevalent way back in 12,000 BC, but the “direct transfer of DNA from one organism to another was first accomplished by Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen in 1973”, so there is quite a long history behind it . Genetic engineering has not been used only on humans, but also on various crops which dives into the topic GMOs. Just as the crops are altered abnormally, humans are too, and therefore, they disturb the natural balance of the ecosystem that may cause circumstances that scientists are unaware (History of Genetic Engineering). Genetic engineering has been around for a quite a while but it has changed more so into a disease preventing

The genetic engineering of human genes has been a long-time dream of many scientists and researchers, to me exact just under a century. Depending on who you talk to they will tell you different things; Futurists will tell you that it has the ability to change the world for the better. Some medical professionals may say that we could be cured of all our genetic disease, making us healthier, stronger, and more invincible. However, some of the greatest minds on the planet have their concerns, and rightfully so. These world acclaimed scientists are questioning the ethicality of such genetic modifying process, as well as the technology presenting unwanted repercussions difficult to resolve. Against strong advice of these warnings, development in this field has continued and even grown. Leading to the invention of editing tools like CRISPR/Cas9, which make it inexpensive, quick, and simple to conduct genetic modifications. So are we knowingly opening a Pandora’s box of complexities we can never solve?

The issue at hand is that scientists are in a period of enlightenment with the human genome and with no standard line of ethics pertaining to editing human embryos in research development other countries are taking liberty to beat around the bush to explore this concept of eugenics. After the cloning of dolly the goat and China cloning two monkeys without a genetic blood disease through a process called CISPR society are asking the same question. Are scientists taking this too far before it is ready? Anyone who plans on reproducing or has genetic diseases in their family may want to consider a side in this debate because they may find themselves with the option of “editing” their baby with the ideal gene pool. This issue is prevalent because the entire world is tempering with human genes and is working towards introducing a whole new set of humans by this technology. Gene manipulation is an important topic because of the ethical and spiritual beliefs that it challenge. Changing genetic material to where there is no disease would affect the entire next population of humans and their future children. While scientists now know how to change our physical traits and handicaps they cannot take out traits like ambitiousness which is what makes manipulating the human genome so dangerous. The risks is that this chase for curing disease could turn into a quest for the ideal human where in the future parents can grocery shop their child or countries can create the ultimate human race.

Genetic engineering is the set of techniques used to manipulate and modify the genetic material of living beings that have been the key to the rapid development of modern biotechnology. Recombination mechanisms provide a limited genetic exchange. Mankind has spent his life correcting the habits of nature to make it to his liking, so that it would be more helpful; Mankind has transformed plants to make them more useful for their crops, has domesticated animals so that they could help them with the tasks of the field. In short, that man has modeled the nature around him to the point that can frighten us and everything. Mankind uses the universality of the genetic code and the mechanisms of protein synthesis of living things, in order to try the controlled combination of DNA of different species. The great advances in knowledge are beginning to allow genetic manipulation of human beings to eliminate hereditary illnesses or perhaps in the not so distant future to modify the human species. And of course on this horizon appear from the various sectors multitude of voices appealing to an ethereal ethics warn us of the terrible dangers to modify our "sacred" DNA but why do not we do it? According to Cole Turner the author of Design And Destiny: Jewish And Christian Perspectives On Human Germline Modification, we do not want to modify it is because “the fear that parents, merely by knowing they have the option to design the child they want, will forget how

What if the cure for cancer could be eliminating its presence in an individual before they were even diagnosed? Or if the discrimination towards the colour of your child's skin can be cut short before the hateful words are even said? These ideas may sound like science fiction but they're not as unsung as they first seem to be, and may even be a reality of our future. Once upon a time Genetic engineering was illogical thought, today, it is a very controversial and prominent issue within our society. According to an article published on the 4th of August this year in the New York Times, an international team of scientists in Oregon has successfully edited genes in human embryos to repair a common and serious disease-causing mutation, producing apparently healthy embryos. Plants and even Humans, are now starting to be manipulated. Scientists are finding ways to change humans before they are even born. Removing, adding and altering genes in the human genome. Making things possible that humans (even thirty years ago) would have never imagined.