The Pros And Cons Of Genetic Engineering

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The modern era of science is full of genetic wonders. Genetic engineering is a huge step in the expansion of human health and welfare. This new technique is already used in foods, but there is great potential for it in gene therapy and other medical procedures. The process of food engineering alleviates the need for insecticides while increasing crop yield. Gene therapy removes diseased genes and inserts the new and improved. Some medicines to benefit the human condition can only be created through genetic engineering. Without genetic engineering, advances in science and medicine would be subdued to a whisper of its former glory. Many are fearful of genetic engineering for ethical purposes, yet we have been eating genetically engineered…show more content…
The steps of genetic engineering start with the selection of desired traits and characteristics. Once this is accomplished, one must isolate the genes for the specific characteristic. Insertion of the designated gene into another organism makes up the third step. The final step is replicating the genetically modified organism (BBC). Many medicinal breakthroughs can be made through this process. Certain medical treatments like gene therapy rely upon genetic engineering. According to BiologyWise, genetic engineering is used to treat genetic disorders and cancer. Diseases like Huntington’s disease, ALS, and cystic fibrosis are caused by defective genes. Genetic engineering makes it possible to replace those genes. This replacement is the future for curing genetic disorders and diseases. Another bonus is the disease being less likely to transfer to offspring. With pharmaceuticals, new medicine can be created that would otherwise be impossible without genetic engineering. The modification of plants and certain microorganisms make these new and improved medicines a possibility in the future (BiologyWise). Certain pharmaceuticals like insulin can be made cheaper and easier with this kind of engineering. Insulin can be genetically created to combat type two diabetes by inserting it into bacteria (BBC). It has been found that insulin resistance is caused by a variation in the NAT2 gene. The 88 loci associated with insulin secretion get jostled around and completely moved. This movement and gene abnormalities exasperate type two diabetes. With genetic engineering, the gene NAT2 can be fixed along with the 88 loci (Brown). This fixing diminishes one of the most common diseases in the United States. According to the CDC, 9.4% of the United States population has diabetes. Genetic engineering can vanquish this monster and many

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