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Add to FavoritesArguably, no other field of scientific research has generated as much debate as genetic research. On one side, genetic research could potentially lead to the prevention and treatment of many health conditions such as cancer, asthma, hereditary disease, and even aging. Conversely, genetic research has raised valid concerns regarding eugenics, genetic discrimination, medical privacy, and legal ownership/access to genetic material. With these opposing aspects in mind, one can legitimately ask the question of whether genetic research has done more harm than good. In my opinion, genetic research has been, and will continue to be, beneficial to our society.
Basic research performed using simple bacteria and yeast has lead to the notion that segments of DNA arranged as genes contain the genetic blueprint for the construction of cellular components such as RNA and proteins necessary for the function of all living organisms. Variation in these genes is what separates a human from other organisms and also makes each human being unique. A desire to better understand genetic diversity helped to drive the start of an international scientific project called the Human Genome Project. The goal of this project is to identify every gene found in the human body. This research has the potential to revolutionize modern medicine. The ability to identify genes associated with certain medical conditions would allow for better diagnosis and treatment. To date, more than 50 new genetic diagnostic tests have been developed, with more to come.
In addition, current genetic research is providing scientists and physicians with the ability to determine whether a patient will respond well or poorly to a certain medicine. Pharmacogenetics is a new field of research focused on understanding how an individual's genes affect responses to medications. In the future, pharmacogenetics can be used by doctors to tailor the optimal dose for each patient to reduce, or even, prevent toxic side effects associated with some drugs. In addition, pharmacogenetics can be used to identify a drug that will work the best in an individual to combat cancer, infection, or other conditions.
Also, genetic research has lead to the concept of gene therapy for the treatment of inheritable diseases. Gene therapy involves the insertion of genes into an individual to replace copies of defective genes with functional ones. Although this technology is still in its infancy, gene therapy has been used successfully in a number of animal experiments modeling human illnesses such as Huntington's disease, muscular dystrophy, and Parkinson's disease.
Although I firmly believe that genetic research has lead to a number of medical advances that promise to improve human health care, I will agree that such research has raised a number of ethical issues. These issues should be not be used to demonize genetic research, rather solutions to these issues need to come from meaningful public discussion. Efforts should be made to prevent discrimination of an individual based on their genetic profile. For example, individuals should not be denied employment or health coverage because they possess genes that increase the chance of contracting a certain disease. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act was signed into law this year to prevent such discrimination.
Learn more about this author, Eric Yager.
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Yes
Mankind has taken it upon itself the role of god. He has split the Atom, traveled in space and the seas. But there is no area as dangerous to man as man himself. Elite Scientist seeing no limit to their work and having no God to answer to, have ventured into the human genome. Man with his ability to analyzed and manipulate human DNA has discovered that he is a little god in a big world.
In this research mankind has run across the mutations that cause many monogenic diseases. With this knowledge scientist have identified its carriers. Scientists now can diagnose most of these diseases pre-natally by chorionic villus sampling, that is the removing and genetically analyzing a tiny amount of tissue from round the fetus between 9 and 13 weeks of pregnancy. This technique allows Doctors to diagnosis the disease and gives the mother the option to terminate the pregnancy if the unborn child has a severe condition.
Mankind may soon have the power to correct genetic disease or alter life at the cell level. This power could be used to treat cancer or other acquired diseases. The treatment of single-gene disorders can, in principle, be approached by either germ-cell gene therapy, that is when a good' gene is injected into a fertilized egg and is therefore distributed among all the cells of the growing young body or somatic-cell therapy, and that is when the gene is inserted into a particular cell population in the body of one individual, an example of that would be the use of the stem cells of bone marrow.
This all looks promising to most. For germ cell gene therapy offers the prospect of eliminating disease from a family for all future generations. Some would press on without weighting the risks. But there are risks of making damaging errors to the genes using the germ-cell gene therapy.
In transgenesis, Human genes can be inserted into cultured cells or whole animals. This process can be used to produce molecules that have therapeutic value. For instance, insulin to treat diabetes or clotting factors to treat hemophilia are good examples.
Many in the scientific world see a bright future for genetics. There is a belief in the scientific world that most of a person's mental achievements, personality traits, and behavior can be explained by their genetic make-up. Some fear that this could lead to the possible resurgence of the eugenics movement. This is a philosophy for the betterment' of mankind by selective breeding. This movement was in operation in the United States well into the 1970's.
We must ask ourselves how far will these super scientist go with this new acquired god like power. How will they shape our destiny. With this god-like power over nature, what will man create. For we know that they can and do changed species and create new ones. Animals and plants under their control are given entirely new characteristics by simply transferring the genes of one species into another. Plants and animals are being grown faster and bigger. How does this effect the environment and our health. And why has the government allowed these scientist that are back by global corporations to ignore safety issues in their headlong pursuit of creating a new animal, plant and human species. I say for the love of money.
Learn more about this author, Dan Mason.
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