unit 5aabt bioethics

7/31/2019 Unit 5aABT Bioethics

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UNIT FIVE


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ETHICAL, LEGAL, SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND

HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO GENE BIOTECHNOLOGY

The ethical issues behind the creation of geneticallyengineered organisms:

The problem.

Ethical issues.

Social issues.

Legal issues.

Environmental issues.

Health and safety issues.

Precautionary measures.


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The Problem

The biotechnology revolution is uncontrolled.

No one supervises it. There is no coherent

government policy in America or anywhere

else in the world. No federal laws regulate it.

Genetic research continues at a more furious

pace than ever. But it is done in secret, and in

haste, and for profit.

- Michael Crichton(Author of Jurassic Park in introduction to the book.)


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Genetic engineering technology is to move genes

back and forth, not only across species lines, but

across any boundaries that divide living

organisms The results will be essentially new

organisms, self perpetuating and hence permanent.Once created, they cannot be recalled.

- George Wald.Nobel Laureate.


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Technological innovations andscientific change do notmerely bring benefits. They

also carry social, ecologicaland economic costs.

We are already confrontedwith a huge environmental

and social impact of nuclearand petrochemical revolution.

Our mistakes in notanticipating the risks of these

revolutions should not berepeated when we are beingpushed into thebiotechnology revolution.


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The various areas for which different genetic techniques are useful

as tools1. Prenatal diagnosis of genetic disorders.

2. Improved vaccines for better health.

3. Gene therapy, enzyme therapy, hormone therapy to combat diseases and geneticdisorders.

4. Ample food.

5. Improved farm animals and their products.

6. Improved plants, higher agricultural yields.

7. Production of biopharmaceuticals in cells of choice.

8. Chemical production by genetically engineered microorganisms.

9. Criminal investigations.

10. Pollution control.

11. Applications in research in embryology, developmental biology, differentiation,growth.

12. Understanding of structure function relationship for various genes the

heredity elements.

13. Human genome study.


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We are hoping for and, off course, working for

Safe Biotechnology. Emphasis will not

only be on how to promote research anddevelopment to reap beneficial applications of

the techniques and products but also to

safeguard health and environment.Although the techniques are too powerful and

negative impacts are natural side effects, we

can not afford to be ignorant about ethical,

social, legal, environmental andhealth impacts of this technology.


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Ethical Issues-> Its use in reproduction and genetic screening brings unique

questions of discrimination, exploitation of women.

-> Patenting genetically engineered animal is equating it to status

of manufactured product.

-> Will living things have no more intrinsic value than automobiles

or garments or any other commodity?-> The failure to label genetically engineered foods means that

persons who follow religious dietary restrictions will be unable to

ensure compliance with their beliefs. The genes from prohibited

foods could be engineered into other foods. Vegetarians may beforced to take food containing genetic material from insects, fish,

pigs or other animal.

-> Religious and ethical beliefs will be greatly disturbed.


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70% of the public feel that,

introducing animal genes into

plants is unacceptable. 90% of

the public feel that human genes

should not be introduced into

animals.

98% people want genetically

engineered (bovine growthhormone) bGH-milk labelled, so

that they can avoid it.

Should we become architects of life

itself? Should biotechnology beallowed to play God? Crossing the

species boundaries in genetic

exchanges which has resulted into

inserting animal genes into human

or human genes into animals.


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Social Issues - (Socio-Economical)

Issues

Socio-economical dislocation at national as wellas international level.

Will benefits of molecular biotechnology beavailable to wealthy only or all?

Investments and expenses

done on various research

projects, disease prevention

etc.- the problems of third world

countries get less priority.

Eg: Potato-plastic from starch.


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Will agricultural molecular biology undermine

traditional farming practices? Tissue culture,

stock plants production, modern seed testingwith DNA probes and many other practices

are going to replace traditional current

practices. Will medicinal therapy based on molecular

biotechnology supersede

equally effectivetraditional

treatments?

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Legal Issues

The most serious aspect of

biotechnology is perhaps lack

of supervision, lack of

regulation, and secrecy.

Patenting; testing the

production in countries which

are ignorant of effects; illegal release of

genetically engineered organisms and many

issues need more attention.

Quest for patents may inhibit exchange ofideas amongst even research scientists.


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Bioweapons : Genetic engineering is beingused to revolutionize biological warfare

through creation of novel viruses and bacteriawhich could have catastrophic effects andinitiate a genetic arms race.

Even AIDS virus is supposed to be outcome of

such research.

There has to be legal ban and appropriatecontrol to stop such applications.


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Environmental Issues Introduction of novel types into foreign habitats may

disturb the natural equilibrium. Catfish, trout and salmon

have been engineered with a number of genes fromhumans, cattle and rats to increase their growth andreproduction. If released into environment the novelmutant fish could mate with native species, polluting thegene pool of native species quickly and permanently.

Genetic engineering of organisms and product of organismson large-scale with certain characteristics will reducenatural genetic diversity. This will result into geneticuniformity in farm animals and in agricultural plants.

Prolonged use of cross genetic species may result into loss

of natural world. Genetically engineered products, becausethey are alive are inherently more unpredictable thanchemical products. Genetically engineered products canreproduce, mutate, migrate, spread risky it is!


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Unforeseen and

undesirable

characteristics in novelorganisms and

unacceptable

transmission of genetic

material to other hosts.

Careless release of

genetically engineered

microorganisms cancause damage to

ecology.


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Health and Safety Issues

The BT endotoxin gene

(from Bacillus thuringenesis) although giving pest

resistance to corn and dozens of other important crops

causes stunting in them. Bovine growth hormone use has resulted in the

increased incidence of mastitis in cows.

Genetically engineered BGH (Bovine growth hormone)

dairy products may have increased levels ofdangerous hormones and antibiotics.

There are reports of some British users of geneticallyengineered insulin collapsing to unconsciousness and

filing suit against the manufacturer Eli Lilly.


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Precautionary Measures

The Genetic Manipulation Advisory Group

(GMAG) has established procedural guidelinesfor the confinement of rDNA activities to thelaboratory.

Both knowledge and technology is new and isadvancing rapidly, therefore, evaluation ofrewards and risks is difficult.

PROSAMO, Planned Release of Selected and

Manipulated Organisms is a four year studyfunded by UK and some interested companies(Du Pont Ltd. UK, Monsanto, Europe and Plant

Genetic Systems, Belgium).


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