Genetic Engineering

Genetic engineering is the process by which we manipulate the genes in the DNA strand. The genes of particular interest, say those that form insulin for this example, are removed from a DNA strand and placed in a strand of DNA from bacteriea. The bacteria will then replicate the DNA and make it identical to human insulin. We see the results and they are beneficial to all who suffer with diabetes. But do we see it all?

What about genetically engineered food? You are what you eat. Sure it may be blight resistant, but there are changes that affect us long after they've been eaten. Or are there?

Clones have been born super-sized and age at an accelerated rate. If we start making babies, what are we subjecting them to? What kind of unnatural suffering will they be exposed to?

Organs that have been grown from animal tissues and human DNA for transplant carry the risk of transferring diseases across the species barrier. This has already been documented in multiple instances. Burn victims using pig skin grafts show immunilogical evidence of exposure to a pig virus. Some viruses are dormant and not detectable and perhaps there are some we're not aware of.

I understand the temptation to use whatever means available to fix a dire health problem or feed the hungry. These are painful issues that affect large numbers of people. But addressing these issues and pursuing them without complete understanding of the ramifications may be no different than opening Pandora's box.

Do we know if there's some obscure danger lurking out there? What about unchartered viruses from animal hosts? Are there subtle changes taking place in our bodies as we are exposed to matter that's manipulated? These substances aren't natural so can we naturally handle them? If genetically altered plant and animal life mix with the natural, mutant variations may abound, and once they're in our ecosystem, they'll be there forever.