Political, Ethical, and Environmental Problems with Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is unprecedented. Never before have we been able to manipulate life in this fashion and with such great results. As a result, there are many underlying ethical, legal, and even environmental problems that arise. There are many issues to consider that we'll explore with respect to the current debate on genetic engineering and gene splicing.

The great results that we have read about (cloning, GMOs, etc.) have lead us to believe that the results are largely controllable when in fact they are the result of a trial and error process. Most current forms of genetic engineering are uncontrollable and often messy. Though it is relatively easy for engineers to place the genes of an organism into a foreign nucleus, they have no way of knowing if the cell will incorporate the new data. They also cannot be completely sure of the location of the gene in the DNA and even what effects the gene will have on the organism. Currently, the success rate of genetic engineering hovers around a dismal 1%. Also, currently technology allows us to detect genetic diseases and disorders even prior to birth. Therefore, since we can correct these with gene therapy, the question is who will receive it since we cannot afford to give it to everyone. Will the rich monopolize this? Will health insurance companies drop individuals who are more prone to genetic diseases? Will employers refuse to hire workers that have genetic disorders? These are all important questions that derive from the issue of genetic engineering.

Many envision a day in which death and aging can be eliminated by genetic engineering. When organs get damaged, we simply swap it out for a pre-grown one. Others might keep a clone around to harvest parts just in case. Though many countries have banned the research of human cloning, there is much research done in the background and we could see human clones in the not too distant future. Of course, human cloning raises many moral problems. Who will be able to access this technology? Then there's the problem of legal rights of clones.

Then there are the environmental problems of having genetic technology around. If people are allowed to live endlessly, the ecological footprint they create will be massive, especially because those people are likely to be rich. Whenever we embark on a journey meant to alter nature, we must stop and consider all the consequences before proceeding.