The Pros And Cons Of Genetic Engineering And Cloning

Society is advancing at a rate so fast that it is hard to keep up with the advances in technology, one key area being genetics. As British biologist Julian Huxley stated “It is as if man had been suddenly appointed managing director of the biggest business of all, the business of evolution—appointed without being asked if he wanted it, without proper warning and preparation” and so the only option left is to decide to continue; to pursue this field, or halt the research. (Mehlman, Pg. 5) Two fields in genetics are on the fore front of the debate: genetic engineering, and cloning. Both fields have potential risks that could outweigh the benefits they provide. The altering of human DNA with genetic engineering, as well as the replication of human

As envisioned by Aldous Huxley a new underclass could be bred deliberately for the soul purpose of being slaves. (Sieder, Pg.28) Which as seen in history, is never met with good reactions. Accompanying slavery, there is also a chance of genetically selective weapons being used to target ethic groups. (Sieder, Pg.30) This fact is extremely dangerous, due to making genocide easier to accomplish. An entire race would be wiped out before anyone knew what happened. Almost all techniques in genetic research require the use of egg cells for one reason or another which poses another risk. This risk being, that as the demand for egg cell rise it could lead to the exploitation of women (Black, Pg. 96). This is due to the fact that if the demand got too high companies would be forced to find a way to get egg cells fast. This would then lead to women being solely used for their eggs. Both the risk of slavery and the exploitation of women break basic human rights. Yet another risk of genetic engineering is the uncertainty that the research poses. This research would give the ability to enhance one section of the population, while the other percent stayed natural. This then carriages the risk of

Due to the low success rate of a clone, the economic cost is extremely high. Researchers in order to clone a subject, say a calf, need eggs and lots of them. “For every 100 eggs used, a researcher is lucky to end up with a single cloned calf” (Woodward, Pg.27). The odds of one success per ninety nine failure are dismal. The fact that the eggs are not the only part of the process that has to be paid for, there is equipment, labour, and the eggs. The estimate is that it will cost one million dollars per one live birth, this figure incorporating all the expenses. (Woodward, Pg. 29) This number is much too high to even consider, Canada is already in debt if this continued would only make it worse. Cloning is not only expensive but it violates our human rights. “Cloning for research involves creating and then intentional destroying a human life. Since the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights asserts the sanctity of all human life and the necessity to protect it from harm, human cloning also violates international law” (Woodward, Pg.57). With this research, humans have made ourselves the decider of what lives, and what dies, which is not meant for humans as society has deemed that immoral. It directly violates Article three of the declaration where it states that everyone has the right to life, and with that life comes the right to liberty, and security of that person.