Genetic Engineering : The Pros And Cons Of Gene Therapy

   The Human Genome Project is the largest scientific endeavor undertaken since the Manhattan Project, and, as with the Manhattan Project, the completion of the Human Genome Project has brought to surface many moral and ethical issues concerning the use of the knowledge gained from the project. Although genetic tests for certain diseases have been available for 15 years (Ridley, 1999), the completion of the Human Genome Project will certainly lead to an exponential increase in the number of genetic tests available. Therefore, before genetic testing becomes a routine part of a visit to a doctor's office, the two main questions at the heart of the controversy surrounding genetic testing must be

The view over genetic testing starts with establishing necessary definitions and discussing its purpose in our world. To start off, the human body is a complex multicellular system. Every cell in the body is comprised of the same DNA (with some exceptions), which stores our genes. These genes are the set of instructions that encode the proteins necessary to create and maintain the human body. The issue is that some genes can undergo a variety of mutations during development that cause an array of complications or disease. Gene therapy can modify the designated abnormal genes to reach normalcy, while genetic engineering focuses on enhancement and surpassing what is normal. However, the goal of genetic testing is to identify the abnormalities

Genetic engineering has been the subject of controversy since it first started. There is a lot of fear and concern surrounding the possibilities it presents. It is difficult to make ethical decisions about genetic engineering because if offers opportunities to solve many genetic problems such as hereditary diseases. The consequences are positive and negative, but there is no way to determine which will have a greater impact. Genetic engineering could lead to new treatments for hereditary diseases, but it could also have long-term adverse effects. Although there are benefits to genetic engineering, the negative side cannot be overlooked.

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 is one of the major factors that lead to the absence in the gaining of therapeutic science. Although the lack in progress cannot be the only factor blasted for; some scientific trials have confirmed both anxious and fearful, advancing tighter on gene therapy restrictions. According to Hogarth, this hotly debatable topic of whether it is dangerous or not “playing God” has caused many religious, governmental, scientific and public figures to signify their own concerns in fierce debates (Hogarth para 9). Since the beginning of gene therapy, there has always been a constant battle over the guidance of its future of whether gene therapy will transform into a therapeutic science or lead to unpleasant consequences as the eugenics did in the 20th century. The ethics of gene therapy have been established and based on, not only beliefs, but also the disconnection and advantages achieved in the trials, which has lead to the breakthrough of the future of gene therapy. The downfall and advancement of gene therapy are the hereditary products of research that have had a major influential impact on its ethical features. When gene therapy was a novice, it gained an immense amount of popularity when scientific research evolved towards identifying genes that induce certain diseases (Hunt, 2006).

Whether gene therapy should be allowed to be used in practice is currently a very controversial topic. In my opinion, I do not think that it should be allowed. Gene therapy is a technique where genetic material is inserted into a patient to replace missing or defective genes. Gene therapy can be further broken down into two categories: somatic and germline. From there, somatic gene therapy can be approached in two ways: in-vivo and ex-vivo. For the process of gene therapy to begin, the proper vector needs to be acquired. Once a vector is chosen, the vector delivers the new gene into the target cell. Then, the target cell becomes infected with the vector. Next, the vector’s genetic material is inserted into the target cell. Then finally, functional

"Now we know, in large measure, our fate is in our genes." famous words that were stated by the co-founder of DNA's double helix structure, James Watson. In a large effect, in this day of modern science belief our fate is controlled by our genes. Our genes control our physical statue, our outward appearance, basically our entire bodily makeup is all determined by our genes. Mankind is at the edge of a new frontier in genetic medicine and gene therapy and how man advances into this field greatly dep ends on his ethics, morals, and the general acceptance of this new found knowledge. At the heart of the subject lies the controversy over genetic screening. Many questions arise such as; Who should be tested? Who should have access to the

Although genetic testing can benefit society in numerous ways, such as the diagnosis of vulnerabilities to inherited diseases and ancestry verification, it also has the precarious capability to become a tool in selecting a more favorable genetic makeup of an individuals and ultimately cloning humans. Genetic testing will depreciate our quality of life and may result in discrimination, invasion of privacy, and harmful gene therapy.

One main benefit of gene therapy is that is can cure multiple diseases when the gene is replaced. There has been reports of successful gene therapy operations including restoring vision and hearing to some of the patients that receive it. The use of this technology could lead to a cure of blindness and deafness, something that has never been actually accomplished in the

Many ethical issues arise from the scientific manipulation controversy. In relation to natural processes, science should be regulated and should also have clear boundaries. The predictive method of genetic testing is available for thousands of diseases, but it has its benefits and drawbacks. Genetic testing can help hopeful parents make decisions about having children and can also identify genetic disorders early in life so the parents are directed toward available prevention, monitoring, treatment options as soon as possible. However, genetic test results are not 100% accurate, they do not indicate the severity of the disease an offspring could possibly have, and they can easily lead to genetic discrimination. Out of these disadvantages, genetic

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?

Moreover, Positive aspects of gene therapy are apparent as it can give many peoples a new life. It can reduce the stress on future parents as they do not have to think or worry about having a child with disabilities they can have a normal child because gene therapy can wipe out genetic disease before they can begin and eliminate suffering for future generations; it is also good technique for diseases that are not searched yet because each of us caries about half a dozen defective genes, however we remain ignorant to this fact unless we are among the millions of people who have a genetic disorder; about one in ten people has or will develop some time later in life an inherited genetic abnormality. It and can also silence a gene in the case

While new innovations and regulatory approvals with regards to gene therapy can lead to positive outcomes, gene therapy comes with its own set of challenges. The advantage of gene therapy included that is can lead to personalized treatments suited for everyone, and because of the heritability of the genome, could potentially be a one-time treatment, as opposed to current treatments like drugs or chemo which need to be undergone multiple times. This is especially true for cancer, which has been the most common condition to which gene therapy treatments have been applied [8]. As Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, states to Laurie McGinley, a reporter at The Washington Post during

With the advancement of technology, many things are at the fingertips of the world and especially scientists. With new technology, new moral questions and ethical dilemmas are asked and new conundrums are found. A recent technological advancement, human gene therapy, is making the world ask these questions. Human gene therapy is replacing a specific gene that is unhealthy or could cause problems with a healthy gene and also uses genetic engineering methods to change defective DNA sequencing inside individual cells (National Library of Medicine [NLM], 2015). This is a current technology that must be explained to the public because it can be used today to change people’s genes. This is a major breakthrough

Many scientists and others believe that if gene therapy can be refined, it could be implemented to ultimately put an end to genetic disorders. The parents would have the children they want, and the children who had the natural disposition towards a genetic disorder could possibly become a normal child, whereas otherwise they would probably end up losing their life due to abortion. Those that support gene therapy view it as a win-win strategy: