Genetc Engineering

Genetic engineering is in our food; it is on the shelves of our local supermarket; and in test tubes at the laboratory. They are created from the shuffling and manipulating of genes from one species to another. Examples include the transferring of fish to tomatoes or from human to pig. Genetic engineering also includes cloning, which is the attempt to copy a set of DNA from one species and recreating that species. The proper definition of genetic engineering is, "Genetic Engineering, the alteration if an organism's genetic, or heredity, material to eliminate undesirable characteristics or to produce desirable new ones"(Encarta 1). The initial purpose of genetic engineering was to increase plant and animal production, diagnose diseases and improve or invent new medical technologies such as vaccines and other useful drugs. The methods are now being abused. Ronnie Cummins explains it as,

a radical new technology, one that breaks down fundamental genetic barriers--not only between species, but also between humans, animals, and plants. By combining the genes of dissimilar and unrelated species, permanently altering their genetic codes, novel organisms are created that will pass onto their offspring through heredity. Scientists are now snipping, inserting, recombining, rearranging, editing and programming genetic material. Genetic engineering poses unprecedented ethical and social concerns, as well as serious challenges to the environment, human health, animal welfare, and the future of agriculture. (Cummins e1)

The facts behind genetic engineering are being covered up and made to seem like a perfectly harmless matter. Some like Bernard Gert, believe, "the potential risks to all of the future descendants of the patient outweigh any benefit to a very small number of persons who might benefit"(Gert e4). Cloning and genetic engineering is Biblically wrong, unethical, dehumanizing, and should be banned or severely limited.

To fully comprehend the techniques and processes of genetic engineering, it is best to start with the understanding of basic biology and anatomy. A cell is the smallest living unit known to man, and the basic functioning structure of all living matter. Humans are made up of millions of these cells. Each cell is composed of a nucleus, and within the nucleus lie chromosomes. Chromosomes serve as the housing unit for DNA. DNA is what defines an organism and its characteristics. Genetic engineering uses the DNA and a set of techniques to cut up and seal them to any other organism's genes. There are multiple problems with these procedures, a fish's genes cannot be sealed with a tomato's genes and be expected to survive. The methods used are often told as a precise method, the final stage of placing a new gene into the receiving higher organism is lacking both precision and predictability (Dangers e1). When the final product is created it cannot be reversed. The general public fears that the resulting product may mutate into infectious forms that cannot be tamed and spread a world wide epidemic. There have already been close examples of this. It has now been proven that allergens have been transferred from one crop to another using the process.

In attempt to increase the nutritional value of soybeans, a genetic engineering firm experimentally transferred a Brazil nut gene producing a nutritious protein into the soybean plant. However, when a study found that the genetically engineered soybeans caused an allergic reaction in people sensitive to Brazil nuts, the project was canceled (Encarta 7).

It's apparent that the product of this experiment was proven dangerous and could have been fatal to those severely allergic to the genetically modified soybean.

Many people are under the false illusion of human cloning. Many believe that cloning will make the exact replica of that person. This is not true. When an adult is cloned, an embryo is created, not another adult. The embryo does contain the same genetic information as the adult being cloned but, the embryo must go through many years of social development in an environment that is significantly different from which the adult being cloned developed in.

Many problems exist to this day that have been and traced back to a set of genetically modified genes, genetically "enhanced" foods, and genetic altering. Mad Cow disease is a brain disorder found in cattle that were fed recycled animal tissues as a protein supplement that had been genetically modified so the dairy cattle would produce more milk. This system forces the cattle into cannibalism. The cows ate cows and grew fatter, making more milk and meat. These procedures seemed acceptable to the owners because more products meant increased profits. At first the population didn't take the situation seriously until they became infected and eventually died from it. "In 1996 the British Ministry of Agriculture informed that the animal feed made from animal blood, fat, and gelatin was safe for cattle and not harmful to human health" (Galeano e4). There have been one hundred and seventy thousand confirmed cases of the disease in both humans and cattle since 1986 (Encarta 2). This could have been prevented had the government taken the proper procedure in this situation. There clearly were not enough tests and experiments done to prevent it.

Because of the governments failure to protect their citizens many families had to suffer losses. The Governments all over the world are not doing enough to caution the citizens of their countries. The United States Food And Drug Association (FDA) has authorized that sale of milk, produced by cattle whose eaten genetically modified feed, without the mention of this fact on the label (Galeano 2). Monsanto, the main provider of these products, should not have had a choice to add this to their labels. This is unacceptable and unheard of. There are genetically produced proteins in the milk that could possibly have fatal reactions to anyone who's allergic. In August 1998, thirty-seven foods and crops have been approved for commercialization in the United States. The United States require absolutely no pre-market safety testing or labeling (Cummins e1). This statistic could prove to be another case of the mad cow disease. There should be pre-market testing on all foods; genetically modified and organics naturally grown. The dangers of genetic engineering are countless and growing. A large problem that faces us in this world today is poverty. Third world country's citizens are poor; they simply cannot afford to buy food. There is