La_LovelyLady

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What are your views on the ability for your genes to be altered in order to better the human race? Genes to make us smarter, taller, skinnier etc...

Could they limit the use of gene therapy in order to use only on those who are genetically in need? Would only the wealthy be able to afford the costs of this genetic therapy? Is it more or less upgrading the human race in order to have perfection? If there is perfection in everyone...what will seperate us as individuals? Would it open doors to a better human race, or cause more harm than good?

Bob4Beer

I dont think it should be used at all.. it's like playing God, just bothers me.

mxpxbigd285

I think as far as the playing God argument, look at everything we can do that isnt "natural." Plastic surgery is widely accepted by our culture. Isn't that, in a way, playing around with things only "God" should be able to do?

I think as far as the future of gene therapy, we need to embrace it rather than turn away from it. The benefits could be unbelievable for so many people, it would really be pretty ridiculous to not pursue it.

Stoop

Same thing with cloning. It shouldn't be messed around with. Too many risks involved and who knows what the ultimate outcome will be? Maybe this person that got "created" through genetic engineering will have problems down the line. Scary if you ask me. Don't play God and make other humans guinea pigs.

CurbMonkey

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It is a very interesting subject. One would like to look at the benefits. Helping people that need it. But what about the consequences? We really dont know what they are until we try it. This is going to be a stretch of an argument but here it goes...Look at the nuclear bomb. The inventors never thought that what they created would have gotten out of hand. It was supposed to be the weapon that ended the war to end all wars. Now we have countries threatening to blow each other out of existence.
If you are going to play with fire, you are going to get burned.

Andytsi95

Shouldnt messa round with that, what if there is asuper being, that escapes and takes over the world!! DOH!

zzyzzgy

genetic engineering has its potentials. reversing genetic defects, healing degenerative diseases, maybe even a cure for cancer. unfortunately, it is a double edged sword. the same technology could be used for less than noble purposes like the aforementioned superbeing. i dont believe the human race has the moral maturity to use such things wisely. if used now, it would have to be so tightly regulated as to make it impractical.

CurbMonkey

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Thats all we need, the Government having more regulations!

Triple H

I agree 100%...and it is so sad. With embryo cloning, we would be able to grow replacement organs for patients in need (ex. Heart, liver, kidneys, etc.). Cloning could contribute so much to society, but at the same time would be badly abused, and the whole killing a baby(embryo) thing would never end. I think the government should legalize embryo cloning, but human cloning is a toughy...

masterchad

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I don't really agree with the genetic engineering to make a designer child but I do think that gene therapy shoud be okay to cure genetic disorders in children. I know one family who had two boys with a genetic disorder they both died at the age of eight and the family nearly lost their little girl to cancer. The disease only affects males and is very rare but to lose two boys always knowing that they are going to die one day before their teens and having to care for them every day as they deteriorate must be one of the hardest things for a parent. So if gene therapy can cure these rare disorders I say its a good thing

bobsmith2281

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What people don't understand is that you can't create a gene for good looks or intelligence. Genes code for proteins, not traits. Inserting random genes into the genome would likely produce no effect or an inviable embryo.

Esco

I'm not sure everybody caught it but a few weeks ago on 60 minutes they had an excellent segment about gene alterations. Apparently a new technology was developed for doctors to inspect fertilized eggs to see if the eggs carried any genetic disorders. Parents that both carried a genetic disorder usually had 1 in 4 chance of passing the disorder on to their offspring. With this technology doctors were able to determine which eggs were "normal" and inplant them in the woman.

While this is a tremendous breakthrough for parents who carry certain genetic traits, this technology is not without controversy. Apparently there is a doctor who is using this technology to determine what the sex is of the egg, so that parents are actually choosing what the sex of their child will be ... at a hefty fee of course.

While I fully support the first example, this second one really disturbs me.

How do you feel about this?

Bob4Beer

I'm ok with the first, since its not changing anything, just choosing a healthy egg. If they were to alter the egg, the risk of damaging something else is just too high.

Renork

What exactly are those risks?