The Ethical Issues In Genetic Engineering On Animals

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Genetic engineering on animals is the latest experimental practice used in the world of biomedical research. It has allowed the progression of human understanding towards the study of diseases and medicine. With the emergence of this technology, comes a wide range of ethical issues that need to be addressed, such as the welfare and the uncertainty of predisposed risk towards the animal. Furthermore, the current state of this practice in the United States is still new. Therefore, there is little regulation by the government along with the scientific community in enforcing specific guidelines to consider the welfare of the animals. The implication of the scarcity of regulating genetic engineering opens the possibilities of mistreatment of animals …show more content…

However, the ethical issue is not whether it is morally acceptable to use animals as model organisms in research. Rather, the ethical issue in genetic engineering is how it is morally impermissible for humans to alter the genes of model animals before using them in medical research. This practice is deemed unethical because it causes unnecessary pain and harm to the genetically modified animal. The term unnecessary is referred to the state of physical discomfort and pain directly caused by the alteration of the genes. Meaning, this state of being would have not otherwise been experienced without the modification of the host’s genome. Model animals like nonhuman primates and mice share this capacity to experience physical pain and discomfort (West 426). Another reason why this practice is unethical is because humans and animal share the same interest in avoiding discomfort and pain (West 426). Furthermore, genetic engineering presents a wide range of consequences to the animal because scientists have limited control in the exact location of where foreign DNA is integrated in an animal, which causes physiological abnormalities in animals that intertwines with unnecessary pain and harm (Dale et …show more content…

The intention of researchers to modify the genes of animals is to understand a wide range of medical questions. Although their purpose in using genetic engineering is to gain more knowledge that can possibly benefit the human race, they still need to give moral consideration to the animals they utilize. The reason for this is because animals are able to experience pain and discomfort. Until researchers have full capacity in knowing the outcome of the gene alteration they do on animals, then there must be regulations enforced because in the end, animals and humans share the same interest in avoiding pain and

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