Playing God in Medicine Continues to be Acceptable

As a species we’ve always looked for ways to be faster, stronger, smarter, and live longer. Many enhancements we take for granted today; blood transfusions, vaccinations, and birth control, seemed unnatural or immoral when first introduced. Yet over time we’ve become accustomed to these controls over our minds and bodies, and have used them to better ourselves and our world. Imagine a society without disease, cancers, or heredity disorders. Life span would increase and IQ raised. Mental illness eliminated. Alzheimer’s gone. Hereditary problems, like baldness eradicated. Technology exists to diagnose flawed DNA in pre-implantation embryos, empowering humans to create a stronger, healthier child. Scientists place a new/modified gene into a virus like organism that enters the cell and inserts the new gene. Genetic modification is utilized to correct defective genes that lead to disease or genetic disorders; in simple terms, manipulating human genes to provide a brighter genetic future for humanity. In the future we may also be able to "cure" genetic diseases in embryos by replacing faulty sections of DNA with healthy DNA, in a process called germ line therapy. This has been performed on animal embryos but is currently illegal for humans.

Terms such as designer babies, eugenics, or human genetic modification cause society to envision future supermodels, professional athletes, and yes, even Frankenstein. A search of the internet allows an individual to buy sperm and/or eggs to meet the customer’s desire. Maybe the term online ordering is too harsh, but the concept is clear. Want a tall, lean, athletic, red-headed, freckled child with above average intelligence? Screen the donors, pay the fee and receive the genetic lottery payout. The...

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...genes for debilitating disease may have the gene adapted to remove the condition. The major stumbling block at this time is the illegality of human germ line therapy. Similar practices already exist in plant alteration. Foreign DNA is inserted into the plant cell. These genetically engineered foods can grow in climates or conditions the plant would not typically thrive. The crops can more effectively resist disease and insects, increase yields and provide improved nutritional elements. Trait modification in plants has been hugely successful. The plant or animal then produces the desired proteins. The process is called ‘Pharming’. With a shortage of available human organs available for transplant, xenotransplantation is utilized. These animals are specifically created for cross human-animal transplantation. The hybrid genes inserted into the animal reduces rejection.