Genetics Essay, Research Paper
Today there is not a person in the United States is familiar
with Dolly the lamb. She is one of the many new advances made
in genetic engineering. Genetic testing is being done all over the
world and scientists are all after the same goal. Tremendous
amount of funds have been spent to help researchers reach their
goal in genetic engineering. It is now being forested that
genetically ailing diseases could be wiped out along with famine
and partial poverty. Genetic engineering may be able to help cure
diseases and suffering, but there are drawbacks to it that we must
consider.
The whole idea behind genetic testing came from scientists.
Although we have all heard of the scientist who goes mad in his
laboratory. Lets be real though genetic testing already has played
a role in many peoples lives. This new form of genetic testing cold
possibly begin saving future family generations. If the gene could
be found to prevent terminal illness in future generations many
lives would be saved and who wouldn?t want that. Carol Krause,
a former cancer survivor, and medical journalist who states ? I
live in horror that I might have passed this on to my ten year old
son?(202). This form of genetic testing could help from preventing
so many radical forms of treatment such as Chemotherapy. This
could help families see the potential that this is only one of
possibilities that genetic engineering will have to offer.
Genetic testing on the human genome could solve part of the
mystery of life. With careful study of the human genome scientists
could begin to understand why we work and operate the way we
do. Looking carefully at the genome scientists could begin to see
new medical insights which could lead to new forms of treatments
for patients as well as diagnosis. With this study undergoing
genetic testing could reveal an extensive amount of information
about a patient. This form of testing could let a patient know
whether or not he or she is prone to alcoholism. Also it could let
someone know if they posses a gene for cancer or any other
terminal illness. Not only will this form of testing demonstrate
what the patient may carry it will give them an option to add
modification it. As the Economist, a British weekly magazine, puts
it ?Knowing thyself is not always a comfortable process. But it is
better than ignorance?(224). So is it better to know that you
might get a disease or not? I suppose it depends on the
The testing could let a couple know whether not to want to have
children based on the results. If the child was for sure going to
get a brain disease at a young age then the parents may choose
not to have children.
Genetic engineering isn?t all glamour. There are many forms
of genetic engineering. People must look into moral and religious
aspects of this. In my own personal religion most of the genetic
testing methods would be frowned upon considered immoral and
against Gods plan. You must wonder if all the power and
advances is actually worth it. What is to happen if genetic
engineering gets out of hand. Life doesn?t have a rewind button
and can?t be simply taken back. If the testing gets out of control
where will that leave all the innocent by standers. When and who
is to say enough is enough. The one must wonder how are
scientists going to find volunteers to do research. They won?t,
instead they will use animals as a tool guide. Andrew Kimbrell
published a paper ? The Animals? Agenda? in it he announced
?Unfortunately, too many scientists and corporations and the
federal government continue to ignore the animal suffering and
the ethical questions that surround the genetic engineering of
animals?(184). This is a cruel and inhumane way to treat a living
a creature. Why exactly are all these tests even being performed?
Ruth Hubbard, a professor at Harvard and Elijah Wald freelance
writer refutes in their paper Genetic Testing Threatens Society: ?Despite
the complexities revealed by current research, molecular biologists
have been increasingly successful in persuading society at large
that ill health should, and can, be viewed as primarily a genetic
problem?(193). If health care facilities find it a problem then will
that allow health care to be denied? Genetic testing does have its
downfalls.
There will not be any easy form of agreement when it comes
to genetic engineering. There will always be the benefits on one
hand and the drawbacks on the other. Hopefully, we will begin
to see advances in technology because as of right now no one is
going to see too much because of the technology rate we are at. It
would be scary to see some sort of genetic mishap and wind up
having a scenario like Steven Kings movie The Stand. This of course
is taking things to the extreme. We must wonder why we will be
allowed to have all this ability? Are we playing God or indeed is
God playing us
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