Genetic modification is the process by which genes are altered or changed to eliminate unwanted traits and enhance desirable traits. This can be done by adding or removing certain genes or silencing others. Modification takes place in both plant and animal organisms. This takes place through processes such as interspecies crossing, microinjection, somatic hybridization, invitro fertilization and maturation, mutation breeding, embryo splitting, somaclonal variation, transfection and cell selection. Genetic modification of embryos has been done in the past with the aim of improving the quality of life of the individuals. Genetic modification should be included in main stream medical therapy so that it can improve the quality of life of future generations.
Genetic modification has been going on for many years. This began in the 1970’s when in depth research on man’s genetic make up was discovered to be DNA. Some disorders and disabilities were found to be caused by a disarrangement of the combination of DNA letters. Initial genetic modification for human beings was done at the cellular level. This technology helped to eliminate disease for the individuals who were able to access this technology. scientists soon discovered that this was a temporary solution because the individual still proceeded to pass on the problematic gene to their offspring. (Hendriks, et al, 2018) The only way this could be eliminated was through genetic modification of the embryo.
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Modifications help to prevent diseases and conditions that cannot be treated. This is the main focus of genetic modification in embryos. When embryos are modified through the changes in their germ cells, the cells are changed completely for the whole generation. Such a procedure eliminates the gene that would affect this family line to perpetuity. This affects disorders that only require one copy of the gene for the disease or condition to be manifests. Successful modification can eliminate the gene of such diseases and prevent the risk of spreading it through carrier genes. These diseases are called autosomal dominant disorders or single gene disorders. Genetic modification of embryos can eliminate diseases such as sickle cell disease, Huntington disease, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy and Mendelian disorder. These conditions cannot be treated as yet by any medical therapy. The conditions are only managed throughout the life time of the victim. Embracing modification can help increase the quality of life of many people by eliminating a lifetime of medical therapy.
Embryo modification has already led to demonstrable improvement in the health outcomes of many. The most promising technology that has revolutionized embryo modification is the CRISPR technology. The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) technology allows organisms to make changes through adaptive immunity. (Howard, et al, 2018) CRISPR is made up of Cas9 and gRNA. The Cas9 is an endonuclease which assists in cutting out the disease phenotype, while the gRNA is a guide that identifies the target material to be changed. CRISPR technology is already in application in some procedures.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) candidates can benefit from the three parent baby technique which eliminates mitochondrial diseases in the descendants and the specific offspring. The IVF candidates undergo preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) which identifies the potential disorders present in faulty maternal mitochondria. The genes of the female parent and the male parent have been screened at this point and they are prepared for the fertilization process (Kohn et al., 2016). The gene containing the faulty nuclear is then removed through CRISPR and it is replaced with a third set of DNA from a healthy donor. This procedure is commonly known as mitochondrial replacement therapy. (Howard, et al, 2018) This technology has assisted many potential mothers of advanced age as it increases their chances of siring children without any avoidable medical disorders.
The procedures continue to improve because of the increasing research methods that are being carried out on. Stability of the process has improved with recent techniques being used in the process. A recent study done on the modification of pluripotent cells from the early preimplantation embryo are an example (Kohn et al., 2016). The human embryonic stem cells are modified in vitro in order to aid in the production and development of cell based therapies. Other procedures that were enhanced or optimized include transduction, which helped to facilitate stable transgene expression. The research into genetic modification of embryos continues to be developed because it is an area of interest to many. The prospects for improved medical standards also fuel the chances of better and more efficient standards of health care.
Embryonic modification does not enjoy standard regulation around the world. Each country has its own standards that govern this aspect of biotechnology. The regulatory frameworks in all these nations consider the safety and effectiveness of such moves. Most nations oppose moves that would lead to unintentional germ line editing during therapeutic procedures (Kohn et al., 2016). However, most nations embrace some aspects of this biotechnology because it addresses some limitations of modern medicine. Of particular interest to genetic scientists is the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. The cells that develop resistance to antibiotics are of interest because they carry genes that are receptive to adaptation (Kohn et al., 2016). Scientists in most countries are permitted to carry out research on such cells because they have the potential to improve the process of modification. The aim of this line of research is aimed at improving the health outcomes by identifying the genetic markers that willingly take up foreign genes without undue manipulation. Many countries encourage this line of research while discouraging other more intrusive factors.
Those who oppose genetic modification of embryos cite ethical considerations such as faith based objectives, effectiveness, unfair advantages over the rest of the population, unforeseeable risks, eliminating risks in transmittable diseases thus loss of moral standards and the development of super species that would dominate the other occupants of the world. (Hendriks, et al, 2018) The first consideration is the issue of scientists playing God. Theists oppose this move by claiming that it interferes with the sovereignty and spontaneity of nature. This argument is not valid because other medical advances such as vaccinations and grafting are also unnatural solutions that have improved the health outcomes of the world’s population. Genetic modification of embryos should be considered as such an intervention. It can also be equated as a preventative measure of disease such as warm dressing to avoid flu or exercise to improve heart function and health.
The fear of effectiveness is also raised as embryonic modification is seen as an experimental treatment. However, there is extensive research taking place on a continuous basis that increases the chances of these techniques being effective. The issue of injustice through provision of unfair advantages through exclusive treatment is present. However, this shouldn’t prevent the research supporting embryonic modification. Issues of equity in access to medical care exist in other areas of medicine as well. These can be addressed together with the existing issues as the challenges cannot be overcome altogether. Unforeseeable risks should also be eliminated from the fears. This is because medical research has always involved taking calculated risks. The same due diligence should be applied to any modifications that are proposed in the field of developmental biology. Despite the fears that the effects of modification cannot be fully tested in a laboratory setting or in a clinical trial. These fears must be faced as they are the only solution to forward advances.
The risk of moral decline must also not be attributed to such technology. If the spread of communicable disease is eliminated through enhanced genes, then the morality of society will not be ultimately altered. An example is the research on the modification of T cells with the aim of eliminating HIV and the AIDS condition. The final fear of the development of super humans with enhanced genes is also far from actualization. This would require the modification of germ line cells because it would guarantee generational benefits. Such a move is both expensive and intricate in its execution. Finally, the benefit of embryonic modification will trickle down to be applied in main stream medicine. This is definite because concepts such as vaccinations were also slowly made into a universal concept.
Genetic modification of embryos promises a lot of gains in the long term. They include elimination of some ailments and communicable diseases. The prospect of improved health care through reduced occurrence of single gene diseases is also of great concern. However, the fears of the process that will attain replicable results continues to plague the masses. Such an issue could benefit from universal regulations on the do’s and don’ts that should apply. Close monitoring would also support the monitoring efforts because enforcement of the rules may be limited by medical ethics. Once all these factors are in place, then genetic modification of embryos can be embraced. Its eventual inclusion in commercial and universal medical care practices will benefit the world as a whole. This is one of the surest ways of ensuring that the health of the human being improves with every changing generation.
References
Hendriks, S., Giesbertz, N. A. A., Bredenoord, A. L., & Repping, S. (2018). Reasons for being in favour of or against genome modification: a survey of the Dutch general public. Human Reproduction Open, 2018(3), hoy008.
Howard, H. C., El, C. G., Forzano, F., Radojkovic, D., Rial-Sebbag, E., Wert, G., ... & Cornel, M. C. (2018). One small edit for humans, one giant edit for humankind? Points and questions to consider for a responsible way forward for gene editing in humans. European Journal of Human Genetics, 26(1), 1.
Kohn, D. B., Porteus, M. H., & Scharenberg, A. M. (2016). Ethical and regulatory aspects of genome editing. Blood, 127(21), 2553-2560.
Sparrow, R. (2019). Genetically engineering humans: a step too far? Suicide, 14, 20. Kohn, D. B., Porteus, M. H., & Scharenberg, A. M. (2016). Ethical and regulatory aspects of genome editing. Blood, 127(21), 2553-2560.
