What is genetic engineering?
- Genetic engineering is when the structure and characteristics of genes are changed.
- Genes can be replaced, added or taken away.
- Genes that cause disorders can be removed or improvements can be made.
- This can happen with animals or crops i.e. GM food (genetically modified food)
What is cloning?
- Cloning something is making an exact copy or clone.
- Reproductive cloning produces an animal or plant with the exact same genetic makeup of another one.
- Theraputic cloning is the cloning of embryos to harvest stem cells.
What could be done with it?
- Cure genetic disorders
- Hormones and proteins can be produced e.g. insulin for diabetics.
- Genes can be inserted to grow human organs on animals for transplant
- Genetic diseases like cystic fibrosis can be identified and removed from embryos.
- It can help grow crops that are resistant to pests and diseases.
Why are some people worried?
• It has too little information about the long-term consequences.
• It has effects which would be irreversible, so if anything went wrong it would be permanent.
• It places too much power in the hands of scientists who could use genetic engineering to act like Dr Frankenstein to produce scientifically created human beings.
• It treats the human body as a commodity no different from plants.
• It offers the possibility of people having to be genetically screened before getting life insurance, senior jobs, etc., with anyone likely to develop illness or die young losing out.
• It has effects which would be irreversible, so if anything went wrong it would be permanent.
• It places too much power in the hands of scientists who could use genetic engineering to act like Dr Frankenstein to produce scientifically created human beings.
• It treats the human body as a commodity no different from plants.
• It offers the possibility of people having to be genetically screened before getting life insurance, senior jobs, etc., with anyone likely to develop illness or die young losing out.