9 Big Advantages and Disadvantages of Genetic Engineering navajocodetalkersadmin on June 17, 2015 - 5:30 pm in Pros and Cons Genetic engineering is the scientific practice of manipulating the genes of a living organism. Once we reach this goal, then what is the next step? This makes it possible for more people to get what they need nutritionally, even if their food access is limited, and this could potentially reduce global food insecurity. We can feel better as we age too if we take care of our bodies, especially if we can program resilience against particularly dangerous diseases. We could find ourselves living in a world where different classifications of genetic purity could lead to individualized approaches to health care, employment, and education. New products can be created. You could produce weapons that seek out specific genetic profiles while leaving the rest of the general population untouched. One example of this is to take a specific product, such as a potato, and alter its profile so that it can produce more nutrients per kcal than without the genetic engineering. Oxfam currently estimates that global food production is enough to feed about 8 billion people. With genetic engineering, it becomes possible to create plants that can resist herbicides while they grow. We could rid of hereditary disease. It is the recent developments in this field that make it seem that ideas from the science-fiction genre have a chance to become reality. Pros of genetic engineering. There are also infectious diseases that can be treated with the use of genetic engineering. Specific traits can be developed. The technology of genetic engineering has the potential to save millions of lives. Human beings ought to consider the pros and cons of genetic engineering before using it. Mentioned below are some important advantages or pros of genetic engineering : With the help of gene therapy our scientists can easily detect the humans or other resources that have greater chances of getting stuck into hereditary or deadly diseases. This essay will look more on the advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering. Still we don't know the exactly where the functional genes are placed in the genome. Human genetic editing could lead to medical advancements. The advantages of genetic engineering are endless, but things like cloning and “tailor made” children are pushing the limit because they cause many moral and ethical issues. Different colors can be created to produce a wider range of produce. Potential benefits and risks of genetic engineering There are many benefits to using genetic engineering. It is a contentious topic because people have different views of weather genetic engineering is safe or not. 7. 9. It is a necessary advantage to consider since the average fertility rate in the top 30 developed countries has declined by 50% in just 60 years. In order to better understand the effects of genetic engineering in all types of organisms you have to examine both the good and bad things that it offers. Allowing for genetic editing would take this conversation to a whole new level. This work damaged the cells so that they could not develop into babies, but the results spoke for themselves. Newly created animals by the process of genetic engineering are known as xenographs. This process could become the foundation of new weapons technologies. There can be negative side effects that are unexpected. Genetic engineering gives us a faster path forward that we can use to ensure the survival of our species. Other reason could be genetic mutations in the genome because of the environmental mutagens. “I’ve always been suspicious of the assumption that great intelligence would be an unqualified benefit – that the madness that so often accompanies it can be cavalierly dismissed,” said Andrew M. Ryan. Altering our cells through this practice to make them more resilient to the natural aging process could extend our lifespan to levels previously thought to be impossible. Genetic engineering has the capacity to make disease a history. This creates the potential for an extended lifespan for each organism. Even though there are many questions about genetically modifying babies for being ethical and for moral reason, there are many pros to this type of treatment. Genetic engineering is guaranteed to make a change. Plants and animals can have specific traits developed through genetic engineering that can make them more attractive to use or consumption. It isn’t a technology that is new by any means. Genetic pollution (interbreeding): This occurs when the natural genetic material of wild species contaminated with genetically engineered material via horizontal gene transfer (HGT). These changes could even become heritable under the right gene editing conditions. There will always be ethical questions to consider. Cons of genetic engineering. The advantages and disadvantages of human genetic engineering allow us to explore the possibility of improving our species without waiting for evolution to do it for us. “Since we might soon be able to engineer our desires too, perhaps the real questions facing us is not ‘What do we want to become?’, but ‘What do want to want?’”. Disadvantages: A major disadvantage of genetic engineering includes possible irreversible effects with unknown consequences. 1. It c o uld help eliminate hundreds of diseases. When we begin to tinker with the genetic profiles of individuals to create specific results, then it lessens the diversity that is available to our race at a … The birth rate when genetic modification is involved can be less than 1 in 100 embryos for some species. Ethical concerns fall along several lines. 1. We might open the doors to having more children, require higher levels of medical care for a longer time, and increase the economic costs of each family unit. Diseases could be prevented by detected by detecting people/plants/animals that are genetically prone to certain hereditary diseases, and preparing for the inevitable. It could lead to treatments for people who are born without them as well. The world’s leading gene-editing experts meet annually (and sometimes more often) with attorneys, ethicists, and even members of the general public to get their take on this subject. One of the reasons why there is a ban on human cloning activities is because animals that come from this technological effort suffer from a variety of severe health problems. With genetic engineering, new products can be created by adding or combining different profiles together. 4. Genetic engineering just speeds up this process and can predict an outcome with greater regularity. This new technology, also called genetic engineering, consists of the artificial manipulation, modification and recombination of DNA or other nucleic acid molecules in order to modify an organism or population of organisms. “The only thing we can try to do is to influence the direction scientists are taking,” commented Yuval Noah Harari. Since the process of gene manipulation would be quite expensive, only rich people would be able to afford it. Genetic manipulation has many advantages, but also disadvantages. It has tried to cure certain diseases and has lead to the elimination of faulty genes and replacing them with better ones. 3. Only the households that could afford to take advantage of this service would perform gene editing on their children. Genetic engineering could further human lifespans. Better Flavor, Growth Rate and Nutrition Crops like potatoes, soybeans and tomatoes are now sometimes genetically engineered in order to improve size, crop yield, and nutritional values of the plants. A lot of human genetic engineering pros and cons have been involved since the evolution of genetic engineering. Modified corn, for example, can be used for specific purposes, such as animal feed, ethanol, or larger cobs for human consumption. So here we discuss them one by one. Genetic engineering is the process of altering the structure of genes in either animal, bacteria or plants. 8. We wouldn’t need to worry about infertility because any sperm and egg combination could be edited to match the profile of the parents. We already know that food allergens can transfer from one crop to another because of genetic engineering efforts. 4. The Advantages of Genetic Engineering. Has associated consequences and possible irreversible effects Even scientists themselves believe that genetic engineering can have irreversible side effects, especially with hereditarily modified genes. Genetic modification can help to create resistance to common forms of organism death. Genetic engineering is going to become a very mainstream part of our lives sooner or later, because there are so many possibilities advantages (and disadvantages) involved. Disadvantages of Human Genetic Engineering Under the pretext of producing a cure for diseases and hereditary disorders, many researchers carry out experiments on genetically modifying humans. The genetic manipulation has many advantages, but also disadvantages. Now genetic engineering is a very old science that has been in play for many years. 1. Human beings ought to consider the pros and cons of genetic engineering before using it. We are not a perfect people, no matter how smart the scientist happens to be. Advantages and Disadvantages of Genetic Engineering Genetic engineering refers to the processes involved in making alterations to the genetics of foods, of animals, and of humans. Copyrighted genetic engineering can have costly consequences. Since 2015, there have been HIV therapy trials that became possible because of gene editing. That is why if we ever get to the point where genetic alterations to humans is possible, we must proceed with caution to limit the potential issues that may develop with this technology. The process of genetic engineering allows for the structure of genes to be altered. 6. Disadvantages of Genetic Engineering. It also has the potential to cause significant harm. Food requirements could be changed through human genetic engineering. 6. Genetically engineered babies could reduce humankind’s diversity. Here are some of the advantages: . Parents face a difficult choice when their doctor tells them that their child could face chronic pain, a lifetime of disabilities, or other health issues. 1. This new technology, also called genetic engineering, consists of the artificial manipulation, modification and recombination of DNA or other nucleic acid molecules in order to modify an organism or population of organisms. Among the advantages of genetic engineering is that it is currently curing cystic fibrosis, diabetes, Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (“Bubble Boy” disease), and is capable of curing other deadly diseases. You must receive a particular nutrient profile to ensure that you maintain healthy energy levels. If scientists can ever crack the code so that it becomes an efficient process, then we’ll still need to deal with opportunity issues that would make this option more available to the wealthy than anyone else. There will always be the disadvantage of a mistake occurring when dealing with human genetic engineering. Genetic engineering can create a natural resistance against certain pathogens for plants and animals, but the natural evolutionary process is geared toward creating pathways. But, like every technology, it also has few disadvantages. The advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering show that the results can be generally positive, but there must be controls in place to manage the negative when it occurs. That’s why we must start examining the advantages and disadvantages of human genetic engineering today. It also just prolongs the resilience of plants and animals. It can prove to be a bane if: In the pursuit of producing babies without any genetic defects or hereditary disorders, we may end up producing super humans. This causes the pathogens to become stronger and more resistant than they normally would be, potentially creating future health concerns that are unforeseen. It would reduce the amount of genetic diversity in the world. That means the potential results are extremely compelling. It could increase the risk of allergies. – Genetic engineering can also be used to move humans above and beyond their normal restraints. 2. 1. Human genetic engineering could also make it possible for couples to have children when they would struggle at it naturally. Even if there is higher levels of heat or lower levels of light, it becomes possible to expand what can be grown in those conditions. This protects the local watershed and reduces the risk of an adverse event occurring without risking the yield and profitability that is needed. The US has somewhat embraced GMOs, while the rest of the world has treated them with great hesitation. It can create an extended life. There could be mental health benefits to consider with human genetic engineering. List of the Disadvantages of Genetic Engineering. Installing a better understanding of genetics for biologists. This technology could help us to solve the looming food insecurity problems as our population grows because we could engineer profiles that have fewer food requirements. When researchers destroyed the gene for CCR5, then they could raise a person’s resistance to the virus. The peer-reviewed article by Patra and Andrew gives a concise but very informative overview of the pros and cons of genetic engineering. 4. There would be new avenues of research to consider because of our knowledge of human systems. Humans need specific foods to ensure their survival. Genetic engineering is going to become a very mainstream part of our live eventually, because there are so many possibilities advantages and disadvantages involved. It is the process of modifying DNA in plants, animals, and humans using techniques like molecular transformation or … The advantages are convincing and hopeful. Animals can be modified to produce more milk, grow more muscle tissue, or produce different coats so that a wider range of fabrics can be created. However, if society uses it to improve the lives of people it can be a very powerful tool. Many companies copyright their genetic engineering processes or products to maintain their profitability. Almost all humans are prone to one form of the disease or the other. That means the initial population surge from human gene editing would involve the wealthiest people. People would identify specific traits, seek out other plants or animals that had similar traits, and then breed them together to create a specific result. Knowing that your baby would suffer for a few months only to die means you’re taking a gamble on their quality of life. What would that really look like?”. It usually takes multiple generations to generate evolutionary movement within a species. Cons of Genetic Testing. Genetic engineering has some advantages. This can be achieved by adding, deleting or changing specific genes within one’s DNA and, also, by extracting DNA from any other organism’s genome and adding to another new individual.. Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash Small changes to a growing baby could have a disruptive effect that we might be unable to predict with our current resources. Risks to the local water supply are reduced. This technology would make it possible to maintain population levels without going overboard on family size. Better Harvests When used in crops, genetic engineering can create crops that are pest and disease resistant. The engineered organisms often dominate, resulting in only a modified species over several generations, reducing the diversity that is available. Thus, this would likely lead to human behavior which favors being rich over all other things in order to be able to afford genetic … Pros of genetic engineering. We could provide future generations with several benefits that are not possible today with this technology. In chickens, Good Housekeeping reports that this can increase the fat content of the meat consumed by over 220%. Babies are not forced to go through a genetic lottery when this technology becomes available. The gene therapy has a lot of dangers and has not been used widely. 6. – Genetic engineering can also allow parents to, in essence, custom make their baby. That means there are 30 million people in the United States with a health condition that could be treatable through the process of genetic engineering at the fetal stage. It is a deliberate modification which occurs through the direct manipulation of the genetic material of an organism. Anything disease that comes from a potential carrier would slowly work its way out of the human experience. Making immediate evolutionary changes could have a devastating effect on ourselves and the entire planet because the allergic reactions may develop spontaneously. Every child would have a chance to be born healthy. Bacteria and viruses evolve a resistance to the resistance that is created by the genetic engineering efforts. Humans in the past may not have been able to directly modify the DNA of a plant or animal in a laboratory, but they still practiced genetic engineering through selective breeding and cross-species or cross-breeding. It does not eliminate the risk of a mistake happening. Engineering can allow this maturity to occur outside of the normal growth conditions that are favorable without genetic changes as well. This disadvantage of genetically engineered babies may be the most significant. It is an effective way to treat genetic disorders in the general population. DNA is either added or subtracted to produce one or more new traits that were not found in that organism before. Most people concur that the primary benefit of human genetic engineering is to create a process where every baby is healthy at birth. The processes behind human genetic editing would undoubtedly encourage advances in medical research over time. 5. It would create a severe divide between those with money and the people without it. 5. It will not be long before this technology is available for use. Genetic engineering can also change the traits of plants or animals so that they produce greater yields per plant. Sometimes, this can cause side effects. There could be problems with job availability, economic disparity, and a lack of agricultural space to support everyone. It could … 7. That’s why a careful approach to this subject is absolutely necessary. Scientists state that the world is constantly moving towards disorder, while the purpose in life is to bring order to the universe. At some point, genetically engineered plants and animals make it “into the wild” and interact with domestic species. Human genetic editing could help to delay the fade that would undoubtedly result over time, but it would not erase it entirely. One of the primary reasons that biotechnology efforts focus on plants and animals is that the work can benefit the human supply chain. That means the potential results are extremely compelling. We would get the opportunity to share genetic material that could prevent disease, cure illnesses, or eliminate the risk of certain cancers. Disease is one of the most effective methods of population control for the human race. The disadvantages can be downright terrifying. For many years it is under practice to modify the organism’s genetic makeup. It only prolongs the resilience effect. It would become the next step for those with wealth to safeguard their societal status. 1. Medical Treatment: In humans, the most promising benefit of genetic engineering is gene therapy which is the medical treatment of a disease wherein the defective genes are repaired and replaced or therapeutic genes are introduced to fight the disease. That means a person’s risk for developing cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and other problems can be reduced because of this technology. There are concerns for the health of the mother when there are changes to the genetic profile as well, including the option that the woman’s immune system might attack the growing fetus. At 1.7, the United Kingdom is already there. It could eliminate many forms of pain and anxiety. The technology behind the engineering process could eliminate this issue, virtually guaranteeing that every child could be born healthy. Negative Side Effects The goal of genetic engineering is to solve an issue by transferring genes to the organism that will help combat the problem. At present since the genetic engineering uses the viral vector to carry functional gene into the human body, consequences of these viral genes on human body is still not known. It is a contentious topic because people have different views of weather genetic engineering is safe or not. By 2050, upwards of 10 billion people are expected to be living on our planet. Disadvantages of Genetic Engineering in Humans: 1. 5. If a farmer plants genetically modified crops and the pollination process causes another farmer in the field over to have those modified crops grow, there have been precedents for legal actions against the “unauthorized” farmer. If a country does not have a birth rate of 2.1 per family, then population shrinkage occurs. It also creates the potential for using modified organisms in multiple ways because there is a greater yield available. Animals can have their genetic profiles modified to reduce the risks of common health concerns that may affect the breed or species. Genetic engineering offers enormous benefits to humans. Genetic engineering offers benefits such as: 1. Ethical concerns. This advantage could be the next wave of medicine that equals or exceeds the impact of antibiotics. There are numerous diseases that require a genetic predisposition for their existence. The first tools that permitted the editing of genes were invented in 1975. In time, the approach in humans could be like what is already being done with plants and animals. 4. 1. Pros and cons of genetic engineering. 6. 3. There are several diseases that we can already detect during the fetal development process. Even smaller issues, such as eczema, could be resolved because of this proactive intervention. 10% of the human population is dealing with a genetic disorder of some type right now. The advantages and disadvantages of human genetic engineering allow us to explore the possibility of improving our species without waiting for evolution to do it for us. It would change how we would need to approach population control. When we discuss the pros and cons of gene therapy, it is essential to remember that the benefits we can experience as humans apply to other forms of life as well. 5. 2. “So, I asked the question: suppose there was an entire subpopulation of extreme geniuses, well beyond anything that would occur naturally. The potential for an error occurring is massive. From the above mentioned, it appears that genetic engineering is highly beneficial. After all, the process at the present uses viral factor to carry functional genes to the human body. The term “genetic engineering” is usually used to describe the process of altering the cells in terms of their genes to develop specific traits typical for different organisms and combine these traits in one organism in order to improve certain features (Kempken & Jung, 2010, p. 12). At the moment, genetic engineering in humans is being used to treat specific disorders that threaten the health or wellbeing of individuals. The changes made are not permanent benefits. “Our descendants will be animated by gradients of genetically pre-programmed wellbeing that are orders of magnitude richer than today’s peak experiences.”. One of the greatest concerns about human genetic editing is that many scientists fear that this process is a one-and-done effort. It would become possible to work on mental health issues just as much as physical concerns with human genetic engineering. This disease may be a result of inheritance of bad gene from parents. https://www.bioexplorer.net/genetic-engineering-pros-and-cons.html That means you would be unable to change the alterations you make after completing the work. 2. Genetic engineering does create a natural barrier against disease and harsh environmental conditions. Genetic engineering means transgenesis, the technology of copying genotypes from one species to the same or different species.