Genetic engineering - miracle or hazard
Genetic engineering and gene therapy are the future of
medicine, because classical medicine is beginning to be
discredited, and the big farmaceutical companies are losing
ground. So maybe genetic engineering will replace drugs, because
it has a lot of potential for improving our health.
Genetic engineering means manipulating the genes (small segments
of DNA) from an organism, and the modification of the organism's
genetic material to eliminate anomalies. The manipulation of the
genes is made outside the organism, and the modified cells are
then re-entered inside the body. This can be done by cutting the
gene out and putting it inside another fragment of DNA. This
way, genetic engineering can create genetically modified
organisms, or new improved drugs that are produced naturally by
plants, and many more other things, like the enhancement of
human's abilities and qualities.
Also, genetic engineering can be used on a much larger scale,
because it can modify the genes in such a way that agressive
intentions are inhibited, or it can solve one of the biggest
problems of food production - the destruction of the crops by
parasites, by making the crops resistant to them.
However, the most important use of genetic engineering remains
in medicine. Large 'crops' of insulin have been created through
genetic engineering, and also other hormones, like the one used
to treat anemia and hemophilia. Modified DNA can also be used to
produce vaccines for diseases. Vaccines against herpes, flu and
hepatitis, coming from genetically engineered DNA are now being
used.
But genetic engineering poses ethical and religious problems for
many people who are claiming that we shouldn't play with God's
creations. The reaction of the people to genetic engineering was
mixed - they were glad about the genetically modified improved
medicines, but the animal rights organizations are fighting
against genetically modifying the animals, environment
organizations fear that the modified plants can have unwanted
characteristics, such as resistance to herbicides, and of course
the church is against genetic engineering.
Only time will tell what the future holds for genetic
engineering, we only know for sure now that it can be both good
and harmful.