What is it that makes you unique? Is it your charming smile? Perhaps it’s the dazzle in your eyes. Maybe it’s your unique personality that makes you a cut above the rest. Some would proclaim that it is our genetic composition that makes us different from everyone else. Over the past decade we have seen remarkable advancements in the field of genetic engineering. These developments have the potential to change our life, as we know it, forever. Will mankind continue to thrive in a society where genes can be patented? Only time will tell. What can be determined is that these innovations in genetic engineering come with certain advantages and disadvantages to both man and animal, and the implications are many.

The advantages of genetic engineering to mankind are countless. Genetic Engineering can be beneficial in the treatment of many diseases and injuries (George Will). The National Institute on Health has been working aggressively on a project called the Human Genome Project. This project was instituted to map the genes of humans. They hope to use this technology to prevent diseases that are genetically transmitted. This study has already en

Additionally, animal activists are concerned about what will happen to the animals that are not genetically altered. Many are concerned that “once researchers develop the ‘perfect carp’ or ‘perfect chicken’ these will be the ones that are produced in mass numbers. All other ‘less desirable’ species would fall by the wayside and decrease in number. Some feel that the ‘perfect animals may even be cloned--reproduced as exact copies—reducing even further the pool of available genes on the planet.” (Grunewald 758) This has proved be true in the selective breeding of dogs. In the past breeders chose to breed only the dogs that had traits desired by the consumer. This has led to many varieties of the less desired dogs to become nearly extinct.

In addition since the early 1990’s scientists have been able to patent any animal or organism that they have genetically altered. What will this mean to mankind? Will man eventually be patented as well once his genetic composition is changed? Or will the government stipulate that only the altered genes themselves can be patented. Will that person have to pay royalties to the corporations holding the patent on his genes every time he reproduces? This is just one of the many dilemmas man may encounter once genetic enhancement is practiced.

Consequently, all of the changes taking place in the field of genetic engineering may grant us the opportunity to pursue a new lifestyle in the near future. Undoubtedly many will contest such changes as being against the will of God. Personally, I feel that if God didn’t want us to have this technology he wouldn’t have allowed us to discover it. Others would contest genetic engineering as being morally wrong and interfering with the natural order of life. Morals are very individualistic. I find it immoral to be allowed to patent any organism, be that life genetically altered or not. But I do not find it morally wrong to genetically enhance any form of life. Others will contend there are major safety issues involved with genetic engineering. One obvious argument is that human consumption of altered food is still relatively new. Scientists are still not sure the impact these foods may have on our health. Others will argue that experiments being performed with diseases could very well lead to outbreaks of new drug-resistant strains of common illnesses. Currently, all of this type of experimentation is performed in facilities closely monitored by our government. But the possibility does still exist. Additional concerns are that animals that have been crossbred could mate with other animals that were not altered causing unknown results. In spite of all these concerns, I feel once it is well established that these changes would not harm me I would accept these new innovations openly including: enhancing my children, eating altered food, and altered animals.

All of these issues must be addressed before genetic enhancement is put into practice. Laws must be erected to protect the individual as well as mankin

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