Genetic Engineering Rhetorical Analysis

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Rhetorical Analysis Paper
Genome engineering is a technology that has the potential to change the world as we know it. Recent developments have changed the face of genetic engineering and have opened up many new possibilities that simply did not exist in the past. One of these possibilities is precision medicine or the ability to treat a medical condition by taking into account genetics, environment and behaviors. Precision medicine has huge potential to change lives for the better. However, the technology used to provide precision medicine could prove to be a “slippery slope” (par. 6) that plummets from benefitting humankind to creating unanticipated outcomes or even sinister applications. “A Prudent Path Forward for Genomic Engineering …show more content…

As a result of the discussions, there should be an implementation of steps to guide decisions relating to genome engineering. The simplicity of CRISPR-Cas9 has “revolutionized the field of genetics and molecular biology” (par. 2) thus allowing anyone with a “knowledge of molecular biology to modify genomes” (par. 3). Before this technology became available, this was a very difficult or impossible task. For example, using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, it is now possible to replace mutated genes that underlie liver-based metabolic disease in mice. Stem cells can be cultured to produce specific tissues such as heart muscle cells or neurons. CRISPR-Cas9 technology can also replicate the genetic basis for human diseases, which gives scientists insights into previously difficult to comprehend disorders. Along with its potential to change the world of medicine, there is the potential that this new technology may have unintended effects and could create unknown risks to human health and well-being. The authors point out that even straightforward medical scenarios raise concern over the possibility of unintended consequences because there are limits to the scientist’s knowledge of genetics, gene-environment interactions and the pathways of disease. Also, some of these genetic changes are heritable, raising significant concern for problems that could be passed to the next generation. All of these scenarios and examples show the urgent need for establishing guidelines for the implementation of genome engineering. In order to keep public trust in science, there must be transparency and open discussion regarding all decisions. Implementing these guidelines and decisions early in the process will ensure that these new technologies will benefit

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