Genetic Engineering's Effect on Health
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have
currently defined genetic engineering as being “a process in which recombinant
DNA technology is used to introduce desirable traits into organisms”, traits
such as genes that make organisms like cows and grow easier and in massive
quantities. This can potentially end global starvation, due to the greater
quantity of people able to purchase lower-priced foods allowing them to receive
proper nutrients for a healthy lifestyle.
GMO food
This is an example of genetically modified food Genetically modified foods or GMO’s will also potentially allow disease and birth defects to be wiped out and people to live longer, stronger lives, and have a heightened cognitive development. In addition to the fore mentioned use of GMO’s, adult stem cells are found in a number of human tissues, and scientists have been using them as part of bone marrow transplant for decades. Other scientists have found other uses, but the key break through will be finding ways to “reprogram” them in the laboratory. These altered cells may be used to treat diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s as well as used for therapy.
Lab mouse growing an ear on its back
Adversely hybrids or Chimeras, (Chimeras originating from Greek mythology being a creature with a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and a snake’s tail), cannot reproduce due to the infertile sperm and eggs this being known as sanitized or sterilized. Two examples of hybrids would be ligers a cross between a lion and tiger it being the length of both breeds combined and blonde with stripes and Zorses a cross between a zebra and any other equine. So essentially hybrids are created with two different species or subspecies, cannot reproduce due to sterilize sperm and eggs. And creating hybrids and clones causes many stillborn’s and birth defects. For example it took 277 sheep to get a single clone of Dolly the first cloned sheep.
Liger
And changing the cells can also potentially have unknown side effects such as allergic reactions or they can become toxic to humans or other organisms. This can potentially cause an imbalance in the ecology in a region, ecology being the study of relationships between the physical environment and the organisms living in it. An example would be really seen liger’s into the savanna and them killing a majority of the natural inhabitant’s food source due to their modified stature forcing the natural inhabitants to migrate into a new region with potential to destroy another food web.
Another fear is that armies or terrorist groups will create biological weaponry, killing or endangering people’s health. Weaponry that could make people resistant to medicines or even targeted for specific gene or race. An example would be Agent Orange, the military used large amounts of mixtures known as defoliants, which were chemicals that caused the leaves to fall off plants. Agent Orange or DDT was spread over Vietnam and in a 1970 study found that 2,4,5 – T caused birth defects in lab animals and humans proving it was the cause for miscarriages and birth defects, the use of 2, 4,5 – T in Vietnam was stopped.
Another fear is that armies or terrorist groups will create biological weaponry, killing or endangering people’s health. Weaponry that could make people resistant to medicines or even targeted for specific gene or race. An example would be Agent Orange, the military used large amounts of mixtures known as defoliants, which were chemicals that caused the leaves to fall off plants. Agent Orange or DDT was spread over Vietnam and in a 1970 study found that 2,4,5 – T caused birth defects in lab animals and humans proving it was the cause for miscarriages and birth defects, the use of 2, 4,5 – T in Vietnam was stopped.
Agent Orange Victims
Although some people believe the genetic pollution was far worse. Agent Orange made leaves fall off of the plants and trees in Vietnam which gives organizations like Greenpeace a purpose, Greenpeace being the largest independent direct action environmental organization in the world today.