Genetic Engineering Is Not Safe

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Recommended: Possibilities of genetic engineering in agriculture

Genetic engineering is the intended modification to an organism’s genetic makeup. There have been no continuing studies on this topic or action so there is no telling whether or not it is harmless. Genetic engineering is not safe because scientists have no absolute knowledge about living systems. Given that, they are unable to do DNA surgery without creating mutations. Any interference on an organism’s genetic makeup can cause permanent damage, hereditary defects, lack of nutritious food, or a spread of dangerous diseases.

Even through the downsides of genetic engineering scientists have had a few breakthroughs. It can help us in our farming needs and also drugs for animals, and pesticides. For agriculture, engineering is used for herbicide tolerance which is the most commonly used form of alteration in plants, and it is also able to keep insects away. Drugs are also produced so that animals have healthier meat to eat. For example, chickens can be modified to produce more eggs and grow larger faster. Which is not a good thing but it is not necessarily bad. Also by doing this a person’s moral compass doesn’t exactly point due north.

Biotechnology is when you produce something by using life sources. This process has an unlimited amount of possibilities. By forcing these changes on organisms and not letting them be, it can be helpful and or cause many dangerous risks to nature. By not letting the plants create their own pesticides naturally it can be helpful now but dangerous and regretful later on. Also, with the pesticide everywhere in a farm, it will lead to a tolerance to the pesticide on the part of the bugs and they will sooner or later be immune to it.

For many people including myself who are against genetic eng...

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... stop this process. Hopefully soon scientists will be able to minimize and control the amount of ‘beneficial’ genetic changes they make. Thus preventing any unwanted changes to our future society.

Works Cited

OMOTO, CHARLOTTE K. and LURQUN, PAUL F. Genes and DNA: A Beginners Guide to Genetics and It’s Applications. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004.

LILLISTON, BEN and CUMMINS, RONNIE. Genetically Engineered Food: A Self-Defense Guide for Consumers. Marlowe & Company, 2000.

SINGH, RAM J. and JAUHAR, PREM P. Genetic Resources, Chromosome Engineering, and Crop Improvement: Grain legumes. Volume 1 of Genetic Resources, Chromosome Engineering, and Crop Improvement, CRC press, 2004

“BIO Biotechnology Industry Organization”. June 2011. August 25 2011. http:bio.org/node/517.

“Genetic mutation”. August 25 2011. http://www.environmeltalcommons.org/ctos/.

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