1 Genetic engineering can improve the economy and healthcare but what is the real price we
As one of the major and crucial technologies of the future, genetic engineering is currently undergoing tremendous amounts of change at a rate the world has ever seen, bringing repercussions to various aspects of our lives, be it technology used in the industry, medicine, healthcare or even the food we eat. For the sake of future generations of mankind, it is imperative that we weigh the cost of embracing genetic engineering in our lives and to what extent. Indeed, the field of genetic engineering is promising to provide effective treatments for incurable diseases; researchers are investigating the use of gene therapy for diverse conditions like hemophilia, Parkinsons disease, diabetes, cancer and even AIDS. ... Obviously, the economy as a whole stands to gain through the introduction of new GE related industries and job opportunities. ... While there are potential benefits such as improved agronomic practice and increase in yields, there are risks such as the potential loss of biodiversity and loss of genetic diversity plus the danger of creating a super weed or resistant insect. ... Beneficially, this could mean the truncation or alteration of genes that could lead to genetic diseases but it could also pave the way for the selection of fanciful genes that are associated with intelligence and behavior. ... Beside the issue of knowing genetic information of an individual, there is also this issue on the right of not-knowing.