The High Cost of Genetic Engineering

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The High Cost of Genetic Engineering

Genetic research on human embryos, in correlation with the human genome, is the key to gene therapy, genetic diagnosis, and even to genetically engineered human beings. Knowing which gene controls what trait and causes what genetic disease will arm doctors with a powerful tool to treat their patients at the molecular level. On the other hand, this allows people to possibly manipulate genes to enhance specific traits or create the perfect baby. Genetic research on human embryos has two implications. A practical one in therapeutic research (to detect, and hopefully correct gene flaws), and then the potentiality of allowing parents to decide how their child should look (or in an extreme word, eugenics). The former, which at the present is wishful thinking, will be a reality in the future if the technology becomes feasible.

Assuming that we did genetically engineer for positive, medicinal purposes, it would require germ-line therapy, eliminating the necessity of constant somatic cell therapy. Germ-line therapy is the process of replacing genes, whereas somatic cell therapy is adding genes and hoping that they replicate at a higher rate than others. Possible targets for genetic engineering would be genetic diseases, such as Huntington (The Benefits of Genetic Engineering) and Parkinson, those proven to be linked to genetic predisposition, such as cancer (Ao, 140), psychological disorders like schizophrenia (Bernstein, 518), and major birth defects (Resta). There are however drawbacks to these treatments. Examples include undue suffering to the subjects due to botched engineering of the genes (Wolfson), also known as the Frankenstein factor, psychological trauma associated with...

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....edu/hdsa/huntingtonsdisease.nclk

Resta, Robert G. Genetic Counseling: Coping with the Human Impact of Genetic Disease:

http://www.gene.com/ae/AE/AEC/CC/counseling_background.html

Saetz, Stephen. 1985. "Eugenics and The Third Reich." The Eugenics Bulletin. Winter.

http://www.ziplink.net/~bright/papers/3rdreich.html

What's Morally Wrong with Eugenics:

http://www.med.upenn.edu/~bioethic/library/papers/art/EugenicsNotreDame.html

Wolfson, Richard. Cloning, Marketing Life, and Playing God (Part II): http://www.natural-law.ca/genetic/BiotechNov97.html

Magazine Articles:

Dickman, Steven. "Human Embryos Carrying Altered Genes." New Scientist July, 1997.

Henig, Robin M. "Tempting: If you could dictate the content of your kid's genes, wouldn't you?

Shouldn't you?" Discover May, 1998. Pp. 58-64.

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