Genetic Enhancement DNA

Genetic Modification: Science Fiction Becomes Reality

Genetic modification was formerly thought to be science fiction, but it is now a reality. For some people, the phrase conjures up the fantasy of an ideal life, while for others, it instills fear of a society in which the human DNA has been tainted.

Unethical Aspects of Human Genetic Engineering

Human genetic engineering is unethical from an ethical perspective. I think that human beings should continue to be as diverse as they are in all of their various forms—tall, slender, hairy, etc. It’s crucial that we don’t use women as laboratory subjects, in contrast to the plants and animals that humans can regulate. The argument is that humanity is based on talent and intelligence and every trait, there is genetic engineering that is subject to a number of trials. At the end of the day no one is perfect. And a misfire in genetic enhancement could have unanticipated implications. Human beings should therefore refrain from such practices.

The Importance of DNA and the Human Genome Project

DNA is composed of sugars, phosphates and amino acids. Each amino acid is paired with its opposite (Lander). This chronological form of pairing makes codes that are used as instruction in the production of protein for the achievement of particular functions within human cells. The purpose of the HGP was aimed at identifying all the genes in human DNA, storing the information in a database, while subsequently improving the instruments applied in DNA sequencing. Once a DNA strand is sequenced, the information discovered has a number of applications. One is in the determination of the genes associated with diseases such as cancer. Once this is established there may be methods to treat, stall, or prevent the disease.

Mitochondrial DNA Transfer and Ethical Concerns

Lander discusses a transfer technique that is used for eliminating mitochondrial diseases. This is the Mitochondrial DNA transfer, a procedure specifically designed to rid of mitochondrial diseases. Mitochondria - organelles within the cell structure that are responsible for establishing metabolic pathways; are vital elements of a normal cell. These organelles are critical to the ability of a form new cells consisting of both DNA and RNA material. The primary function of these organelles is the provision of energy that to a normal functioning human body. This mitochondrial DNA is usually passed on from the mother to the offspring. It is important to note that the father’s mitochondria play no role in the process. As such, if any harm was to be effected against the mitochondria in a manner that would damage it, the individual would encounter devastating and most often, fatal consequences. I believe that humans should refrain from the procedure.

Ethical Concerns in Genetic Enhancement

The article Respect for nature: A theory of environmental ethics by Taylor in 2010 challenges the ethical challenges revolving around the application of genetic enhancement and its impact on society.

Unknown Risks and Ethical Issues of Genetic Engineering

With the new technological advancements, arise new ethical queries. In the field of genetics, genetic enhancement has led to increased concerns that are ethical in nature. Most of these concerns are critical to humanity as they involve tampering with some of the most basic mechanisms involved in human biology. There are a number of significant ethical issues that are associated with the DNA transfer process and the technology and the practice that is associated with genetic engineering as concept (Taylor).

The Nature of DNA Transfer and Unforeseen Implications

A number of biologists have increased beliefs about the benefits no mitochondrial transfer (Joy). As such critics have also voiced their concern in regard to the concept of ethics and technology, and its conception entails that such ethical issues tend to fall into different classes, for instance, Joy states that the concerns involving safety in the technological aspect reflect the concerns around the side effects that follow its success.

Unknown Risks and Unpredictable Effects on Human Beings

Perhaps one of the major concerns in this context is in regard to the nature of the DNA is the transfer in technology. According to Joy, a number of experiments have been conducted in animal test subjects, with the prime elements being monkeys. As for human biology, there is a distinct difference that is a bit complicated to understand the effect of the procedure on a human body. Ethicists are concerned about the anticipated issues that have not yet been discovered and that could have lifelong implications on a person. Taylor claims that there is no way of predicting the end result of the technology on human beings, in short, genetic enhancement would be, in effect, considered as using human babies as lab experiments. Critics have argued that since there are unknown risks that could be potentially great in magnitude, it is unethical to proceed, particularly with the existing safe alternatives such as egg donation and adoption. According to the critics, the parents’ wish for children with their own genes should not be adamant to the potential harm that could affect the children in the future.

Genetic Disorders and Options for Mothers

The article Opportunities and challenges for the integration of massively parallel genomic sequencing into clinical practice written by Biesecker in 2012 supports this argument that humans should respect nature.

The Importance of Genetic Enhancement in Addressing Genetic Disorders

Mitochondrial diseases - these are genetic disorders that can result in a number of malfunctions throughout a normal functioning body. Examples of such malfunctions are inclusive of stunted growth, diabetes, an increased risk of infection, disease of the heart, liver, and kidneys, deficits in the visual and auditory aspects of the body and loss of coordination and muscle weakness, seizures, and various neurological problems and so on. Mitochondrial diseases include diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. An estimate of every one in ten thousand is diagnosed with some form of mitochondrial disease today, and as many as one in two hundred are carriers of damaged mitochondria.

Limited Options for Mothers with Genetic Disorders

For as long as the world has been in existence, there never has been any cure for genetic disorders. Once an individual is with the disorder, there isn’t much that can be done, therefore, if a woman is identified to be a carrier defected genes, she is to be refrained from biological motherhood as there are high chances of transmitting the genes to the offspring. In this case, the woman’s options are limited and there are only 2 courses of actions that left to consider if the woman is willing to give birth. She has the option to adopt or use a donated egg. Once a mother gives birth to a child that has a genetic disorder, there is a high probability of the future generation of the child being affected by the same disorder if it is not given the urgency it deserves.

Mitochondrial DNA Transfer for Healthy Children

The main aim if genetic enhancement is to offer women suffering from genetic disorders the option of having her own healthy children. Through the use of this technique, the nuclear DNA from a donor is extracted, leaving only the donor’s DNA. The fertilized nuclear DNA from the mother’s egg is then extracted and replaced with the donor egg. The end result is a donor egg containing the DNA of the donor’s and the nuclear DNA of the intended parents. According to scientists, children produced as a result of genetic procedures would express the genes of the intended parents but possess the mitochondria of the donor.

The Impact of Genetic Enhancement on Society

Conclusion

The similar platform that most people seem to share is that the project will have positive effects on human life irrespective of its intentions. It is expected that everyone will be touched by it in some way or another. It is a project with very good intentions. Nevertheless, it aims at understanding topics that are a puzzle to the human race. It aims at getting results which could have conflicting results depending on the audience; it may cross boundaries that have never been crossed in the history of mankind. The resulting impact is unpredictable. The major issues in this study are not in regard to the scientific knowledge discovered or the procedures used to acquire this knowledge, but rather the effect of the application of genetic enhancement on the modern-day world.

Potential Applications of Genetic Knowledge

Nonetheless, the potential application of data discovered from the project is infinite as it can aid in the establishment of genetic links to diseases. Once scientists are able to understand the true nature of diseases, there is hope for the repair or cure of defective genes. At the moment, the genes associated with colon cancer and sickle cell anemia have been identified.

Philosophical and Societal Implications

It is important to take into consideration the effect of genetic enhancement on society and the individuals within the society they influence in the social context. For instance, people’s opinion on a child’s parentage may change. One family may believe that the biological parents have a larger share of contribution to the child’s DNA. On the contrary, another person might think that the donor should be involved in the life of the child. The philosophical differences arise between those that believe embryos are living entities on their own and have the full moral right of an individual and those that perceive embryos as living entities and as such have the moral authority of the individual and those that consider embryos as alien entities. For those that believe that relates embryos with living entities, the ideology of decoying them for medical research purposes is very distressing.

Works Cited

Biesecker, Leslie G. “Opportunities and challenges for the integration of massively parallel genomic sequencing into clinical practice: lessons from the ClinSeq project.” Genetics in Medicine 14.4 (2012): 393-398.

Joy, Bill. “2.3. 3 Why the Future Doesn’t Need Us.” Society, Ethics, and Technology (2011): 285.

Lander, Eric S. “Initial impact of the sequencing of the human genome.” Nature 470.7333 (2011): 187-197.

Taylor, Paul W. Respect for nature: A theory of environmental ethics. Princeton University Press, 2011.