Genetic Engineering: Humans Should Not Play God Essay

There are two main groups of gene therapy and they are germ line gene therapy and somatic gene therapy (Baksh, 2007). Germ line therapy consists of germ cells being modified by the introduction of functional genes, which are ordinarily integrated into their genomes (Garbutt et al., 2011). DNA encodes the therapeutic gene and replaces the mutated gene so the new gene can treat the disease. Germ line

Such consequences as segregation between altered and unaltered humans, civil war, mistreatment and disrespect of cloned humans and other severe damages will occur if genetic engineering is continually approved by science. In order to save society from future destruction, genetic engineering should be stopped. Clearly, genetic engineering causes unethical occurrences in society and should cease.

Genetic engineering is the modification of an organism’s genetic material. This has been done worldwide in genetically modified crops, and to a limited extent in animals. In human genetic engineering, the modification is done in the embryo, altering the traits the child is born with and will pass on. Laws have been passed in many countries making this illegal. In the U.S., this is a highly debated and controversial subject, but human genetic engineering is legal.

Gene therapy: Is a treatment method that involves the manipulation of an individual's genetic makeup. A form of therapy that attempts to fix the defective gene which is causing the disease.

Gene therapy is the insertion of normal or genetically altered genes into cells to replace defective genes. The gene is usually inserted into

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

The modified cells would then continue to replicate as normal cells. The in vivo approach involves the gene being directly injected into the affected tissues or into the bloodstream(Health Canada, 2012).. Although both these approaches involve the gene entering a patient’s cell in one way or another, the gene itself cannot just be entered into a cell. To be able to enter a cell the gene must use a carrier known as a vector in order for the gene to effectively enter the cell and start producing the correct proteins. A vector is a type of virus (usually adenoviruses, retroviruses and herpes simplex virus) where the virus’ DNA is removed and replaced with the gene that is required(U.S National Library of Medicine,2018). The vector can then either be applied to body cells which is called somatic gene therapy, or more controversially the gametes of the patient which is called germline gene therapy(legal in the US but banned in Canada under Section 5 of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act and other countries like Germany, Australia and UK) (Legislative Services Branch,2004). Both types of gene therapy will cause the vector to enter the

That is the main ethical issue of the debate. The fear, as always, is that we may eventually go too far. Such as creating the dreaded “designer babies” whose appearance, IQ, and abilities will be customized to the parents’ arbitrary desire (Pinker). Ultimately, genetic modification will limit the children’s freedom to shape their own destiny. The increasing societal control over the characteristics of humans while failing to value other traits over others could possibly increase the intolerance of diversity. For

These are the main reasons for why cloning is being sought after, with the other reason being for reproductive purposes in which couples that are unable to have a baby can finally experience parenthood using cloning (Ayala, 2015). With due time the potential uses for cloning should grow substantially as technology advances at this exponential rate. Genetic engineering can have a variety of applications such as for humans, food, and animals. For humans, genetic engineering can be used to prevent or even cure an entire disease, especially diseases that are caused by a genetic defect like downs syndrome or cancer. Genetic engineering may also be used in reproduction with babies being born with three “genetic blueprints” instead of two. Animals can be genetically modified to fit the needs of the world with examples being cows producing more milk, or more meat on animals for food (Genetic Engineering

There are two types of gene therapy; germline gene and somatic gene therapy. Germline gene therapy is considered to be a safer option for humans. This method makes changes to the gamete cells that are used in the reproductive process thus, the functional genes need to be inserted into the chromosomes. Somatic gene therapy is when genes are transferred to body cells by inserting vectors into a person’s body. There are three things that gene therapy can do; replace a mutated gene that causes a disease with a healthy gene, deactivate a mutated gene that is not able to function properly, or introduce a new gene into the body to prevent diseases. There has been a clinical trial in the past where over 3000 people were treated with gene therapy and the results were good however, this treatment method has serious health

Genetic modification also referred to as genetic engineering is a technique in biotechnology whereby a genome of an organism is manipulated directly using biotechnology. The technique has the effect of changing an organism genetic make-up cells. The genes are transferable from one species to another using genetic modification. This is possible in human. The possibility of the manipulation in human fetus has raised a strong ethical debate (Mohrenweiser, Wilson & Jones, 2003).

Gene therapy is an experimental form of treatment, where normal genes are placed into missing or defective ones in order to correct or alter genetic disorders. In other terms, it is the therapeutic delivery of nucleic acid polymers into a patient 's cells as a drug to treat disease (Gennady, 2015). After many attempts at modifying human DNA by nuclear gene transfer as well as insertion of human DNA in the nuclear genome, the first successful gene therapy was in 1990 where it was used to cure four-year-old Ashanti DaSilva who had Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (IDF 2013 National Conference). Since then gene therapy has been used to cure and treat serious diseases such as Chronic Granulomatus Disorder, Hemophilia, and a wide variety of Cancers, and other genetic and acquired diseases (American Society of GENE & CELL THERAPHY, online).

Gene therapy is a relatively new technology that has shown some promising results. Such as the drug called Strimvelis that is used to help children with severe combined immunodeficiency, a disease that leaves infants with little to no protection against viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other potentially harmful things. It appears to be a cure carried out through a genetic pair. Strimvelis was tested on 18 children, starting 15 years ago, all of whom are still alive today. Gene therapy is used to inject genes into a person’s cells and tissues in order to treat a disease, as well as hereditary diseases where an abnormal allele is replaced with a fully functional allele. The carrier, called a vector, is used to transport the normal gene to the target cells. The most common type of vector are viruses that have been genetically altered to carry human DNA. Scientists have been trying to control the way the viruses have evolved encapsulating and delivering their genes to normal cells in a pathogenic way by manipulating the viral genome to remove disease-causing genes and inserting healthy ones. Theoretically, it is possible to transform either the cells of the body (somatic) or the cells of the sperm, ova, and their precursors (germline). All of the gene therapy experiments so far on humans have been directed to somatic cells, because germline experiments have been remaining controversial. Somatic gene therapy is split into two broad categories: ex vivo (cells are modified outside of the body then returned back again) or in vivo (genes are changed in cells while still located inside of the

In Vitro Fertilisation is a major breakthrough in embryo research and has increased the possibility of large numbers of women becoming pregnant. It is a procedure used to overcome a range of fertility issues caused by damaged or blocked fallopian tubes. This procedure is conducted by a medical physician in a specialized laboratory by removing eggs from the ovaries of a female and mixing it with sperm from the male, fertilize them in a laboratory, and then replace the embryos back into the female’s uterus where they implant and maturation begins. (IVF Australia 2016) The fertilized egg (embryo) is allowed to grow in a protected environment for some days before being

One of the biggest pictures that are against genetic engineering is that humans are not supposed to play the role of God. DNA is a unique thing to every person. Bioengineering itself involves the very technical aspects of modification, and the enhancement of stem cells or DNA and this process can change the human structure. “The progress of civilization has been having been largely dependent upon the out ‘interference with nature’.”(Encyclopedia of Applied Plant Sciences).