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The Pros And Cons Of Genetic Engineering

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Reprogenetics and Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) This fact sheet will discuss the practical benefits and dangers, the ethical concerns, and the social implications of genetic engineering. We will focus on two specific techniques: mitochondrial DNA transfer and use of somatic-cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) to create embryonic stem cells. Mitochondrial DNA transfer has been promoted as a way for people with mitochondrial disease to have healthy children with their own nuclear DNA, and SCNT-produced stem cells have been promoted as a technique that could potentially lead to innovative therapies that will treat various diseases and injuries. It may seem like the stuff of science fiction, but genetic engineering has now entered the realm of human possibility. For some, the term brings to mind hopes of futuristic therapy and fantastic human enhancement; for others, it generates fears of a dystopian world where eugenics is commonplace and the human genome is corrupted. Often, the reality of genetic engineering is eclipsed by the media storm and wild expectations. But what does our science actually allow us to do today, and what could it realistically achieve in the future? What are the …show more content…

Also known as embryo screening, PGD allows couples at risk of transmitting a genetic disease to ensure their future children are unaffected by the disease without going through the process of prenatal diagnosis (i.e., testing of fetal tissue for the presence of disease genes) and being forced to make the difficult decision regarding pregnancy termination. Basically, PGD involves extracting a single cell from an eight-cell embryo (created via in vitro fertilization ) and analyzing the dna of that single cell for the presence of one or more disease-associated genetic alterations. Then, only those embryos without the disease mutation are implanted in the mother's

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