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The Pros And Cons Of Genetic Modification

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The introduction of information technology into the world of genetic modification has created the ability to process data at such a rate as to be able to select traits and insert them directly into DNA. Scientists are able to make decisions as to which traits are better for the “highest possible expected welfare” whether humans, plants or animals are the subject matter. A genetic creation affecting the balance of so-called superiority and survival of the fittest.
Now, as never before, growth in advancements in genomic sequence availability and high-content biotechnology screening systems are available due to computational biology. At one time activities were limited to a single gene but computational and information systems has caused a dramatic …show more content…

Screening tests can be administered to determine the likelihood that a fetus will be born with disabilities. This is especially common in the pregnancies of women of “advanced maternal age”, or also termed “geriatric pregnancy”. The age of the mothers who fall into this category of advanced maternal age is anything over the age of 35. (Brusie, 2016) These tests give the parents and doctors the ability to decide whether a pregnancy should be permitted to progress based on the likelihood of a birth defect. Effectively taking on the role of the Creator, …show more content…

Therefore, the genetic modification of food may not seem as controversial at first glance. Modification of food is a process that began over 10,000 years ago. These modifications, as well as natural evolutionary changes, are now reflected in food species that are genetically different than their predecessors. (National Research Council, 2004)
Genetic modification of food would typically go through the process to develop, evaluate and release new crop varieties for commercialization in a 12 year period. Although advancements in modification techniques and the process of analyzing results has given scientist the ability to reduce this time. While there are benefits in this extended analysis period, affording researchers the ability to have greater assurance that harmful issues will be identified and removed in advance of distribution, it’s only a matter of time before today’s desire for instant results will begin to chip away at this lead

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With such large implications for the future, CRISPR technology should not be halted because of the potential risks that it may face without proper developing. Development of these medical therapeutics, diagnostic tools and improvement of bioproducts regulatory strategies should be fully defined (Heidari 2017). Once it is defined, people will understand the ways that bioengineering should be applied and have a better understanding of the subject. There are so many other genetic engineering technologies such as intro fertilization and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis in question of future use (Savulescu

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Genetic modification is the manipulation of genes through gene isolation, modification of genes so that they function better, preparation of genes that are inserted into new species, and transgene development. Deoxyribonucleic acid, DNA, is the genetic information of any organism and carries the genetic instructions for all the characteristics that makes up that particular organism. Changes that occur in an animal’s genetic makeup can be passed along to the next generation of animals. Technology has been used in plants and microorganisms.

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Genetically modified organisms or GMO’s for short is an organism that has had its DNA altered or modified in some way through genetic engineering. GMO’s were introduced for biological research, medical research, developing more effective pharmaceutical drugs, and agriculture. GMOs were first introduced in the 1970’s by genetically modifying a mouse, then the first modified plant was introduced in 1983. Genetically modified crops are plants that are used in agriculture to modify the plant's DNA to produce a new trait that does not occur in the plant naturally, since then genetically modified crops have begun to increase in production by farmers to increase food production. Genetically modified foods are currently still in debate because of the harmful effects it has on the environment, the regulatory process,

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There is a public perception about biotechnology- especially genetic modification. It does not matter if the genetic modification is about foods, plants or organisms, there is a particular perception for each one of them. For example, drugs that were genetically modified are “deemed an important maker in the history of medicine(Genetic Engineering para. 5). However, crops, have “much less debate about their benefits to humankind(para. 5).

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There is a public perception about biotechnology- especially genetic modification. It does not matter if the genetic modification is about foods, plants or organisms, there is a particular perception for each one of them. For example, drugs that were genetically modified are “deemed an important maker in the history of medicine(Genetic Engineering para. 5). However, crops, have “much less debate about their benefits to humankind(para. 5).

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There is a wide range of possibilities that become of editing DNA. A current example of its use is an increased resistance to predatory insects. Because of this, less pesticide is used on crops like corn, cotton, and eggplants. Producers spend less on insecticide, and food is now safer to eat by the consumer (Bryant). In times of need, genetically modified organisms can solve a number of solutions.

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Ethical principles are social or civil codes of behaviour considered to be correct within a society by individuals. They differ in various contexts and situations as seen through the various spectrums of ethics such as, technological ethics, biomedical ethics and social ethics. For this essay, I will be focusing on the field of biomedical ethics but on types of genetic modification whereby genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques for the betterment of society’s welfare. I will be analysing the arguments for genetic modification in two tiers, ’designer babies’ and genetically modified food, both of which have been the cause of controversy within the bioethics field. The controversy stems from the experimentation on human life and possibly the compromise of the public’s safety.

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There is uncertainty as to what these altered genetics will bring for both present day, and future generations (“Genetically Modified Food”

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The Encyclopedia Britannica defines Genetically Modified Organisms as an “organism whose genome has been engineered in the laboratory in order to favour the expression of desired physiological traits or the production of desired biological products.” (Fridovich-Keil & Diaz, 2018, para. 1). Genetically Modified Organisms or GMO’s, can refer to the genetic modification in animals or agricultural purposes. The long held practice of modifying the genotypic traits can be traced back to prehistoric times, in which farmers would select the most fruitful crops. For instance, teosinte was domesticated over 10,000 years by humans from a small grass to form modern maize (Genetic Science Learning Center, 2013).

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As previously mentioned, the behavior instilled in our genetic code was necessary to survive in ancient days but has proved less applicable to the current state of the world. As our technology and societies have advanced throughout the ages, so to have our needed and desired qualities to further advance. This presents a problem to the seemingly rigid brain we have been given, Current in a society, conscientious and industriousness are two of the necessary behavioral qualities to be a success. The issue comes when many of us aren't able to fulfill that and fall behind. It’s strange how a brain that has helped us to adapt to different environments won't adapt itself.

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The genetics and genomics revolution has at its core information and techniques that can be used to change humanness itself as well as the concepts of what it means to be human. The age-old human fantasies of the mythical chimeras of the ancients, supernatural intelligence, wiping disease from human inheritance, designing a better human being, the fountain of youth, and even immortality now have biotechnical credence in the theoretical promises of genetics and genetic engineering. Not only can humanity's collective genetic inheritance be shaped by selecting which embryos can develop via pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, but genetic engineering, the availability of the human embryo for experimentation, and combining genes from many species require only sufficient imagination to catalyze the designing of a new humanity (John F. Kilner, 2004). To talk about some of the implications of these technologies, Wake Forest University School of Medicine held a

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Artificial selection has been around for centuries and has greatly increased the diversity within plant and animal species around the world. It is thought that almost all the food we eat has been selectively bred to create a superior strain of the plant or animal, making it larger and tastier. One of the downsides to artificial selection includes the increased vulnerability of crops to disease and environmental changes. Genetic engineering can help overcome some of the challenges with plant species, as it enables the creation of plants that are far more resistant to bacteria and pests. However, genetic engineering has been around for a fraction of the time, and is still fairly untested.

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For thousands of years we have been crossing plants to gain new, better breeds of crops, (McLean, 2005) but with new methods and new technology the room for alteration has increased immensely, and changes can be made at an incredible pace. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) are organisms whose genes have been purposefully altered in a way that would not occur naturally (World Health Organization), to gain specific characteristics. Genetic engineering is controversial, even banned in some countries because of known or unknown consequences, but its use also comes with great advantages such as opportunities for improved food supplies and economical growth. To understand why there is so many different views on the risks and advantages with, we

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There is question about the morality of reengineering nature and the unknown repercussions this could have on the planet. Observers have concern that “insurance companies or employers could use biotech or genetic testing to discriminate against people more likely to diseases or conditions.” Though genetic testing can be used beneficially, meanwhile it still poses many risks to everyday

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Is Genetic engineering Safe? Genetic engineering is the modification of an organism’s genetic composition by artificial means, often involving the transfer of specific traits, or genes, from one organism into a plant or animal of an entirely different species. Human beings ought to consider the pros and cons of genetic engineering before using it. It is a contentious topic because people have different views of weather genetic engineering is safe or not.

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