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| 2588023079 | genetic engineering | genes are made up of DNA and are the basic building blocks of life. every cell has a full set of genes carried in strands of DNA which are chromosomes. when new cells are replicated, each new cell has characteristics passed on by the DNA. in humans genes decide the chracteristics inherited from each parent, 70s found out how to move genetic material from one species to another genetic engineering (the technology involved in cloning, gene therapy and gene manipulation) some said it was unnatural and playing god. continued from plants and animals to humancells. genetically modified crops like maize are grown extensively especially in the USA and marketed all over the world, scientists working for pharmacies use altered genesto produce designer drugs and research is being done to treat certain inherited diseases by gene therapy, could help fight hunger and disease. | 0 | |
| 2588031451 | embryo research | find cures for serious illnesses using tissue cells for embryos, most of this research concentrates on stem cells and the field of regenerative medicine - repair of damaged organs and body parts, stem cells turn into other cells like heart, muscle, nerve or skin cells. system cells are ultimate, they can develop into every single type of cell. adult stem cells can be taken from body without harming patient, so far these are the only ones which have successfully helped patients. stem cells removed from embryo which destroys it - problematic with ethics. can be taken from embryos left over from IVF or created in lab from donated sperm and egg. don't have same genetic makeup as person so can be rejected unless anti-rejection drugs are used. best option to make new embryos by theraputic cloning, dolly the sheep. potential of this is liited by the supply of human eggs and possible exploitation if poor women are to be paid for eggs. repoductive cloning been used lots on animals some fails and some successes, only line between theraputic and reproductive cloning is the intention of the scientists. | 1 | |
| 2588038319 | rules in UK | embryos may not be experimented on past 14 days, human embryo cannot be place din animal, human cloning is not allowwed, genetic structure of any cell canno tbe altered while it is part of an embryo, human fertilisation and embryology authority allows embryo research for the following purposes only - promote advances in the treatment of infertility - increase knolwedge of causes of congenital disease and miscarriages - develop more effective techniques of contraception and detecting the presence of gene or chromosome abnormalities | 2 | |
| 2588040268 | genetically engineered crops 'frankenfood' | UK press were called frankenfoods after mary shelleys scientist and his manufactured monster. + food has better taste and quality, greater resistance to pests and diseases, environmentally friendly in that it doesn't require chemical pesitcides and will conserve soil water and energy. world's best chance to end or at least greatly reduce hunger an malnutrition through greater yields and sturdier crops. - threaten environment and may cause havoc through cross-pollination. could have unknown effects on human health by causing unexpected allergic reactions and eventually reduce resistance to disease and transferring antibiotic resistance markers, many poor farmers are encouraged to grow gm crops,great expense over reusing seeds from last years crop, Zambia stood out and rejects any GM food | 3 | |
| 2588046413 | selecting human genes - designer babies? | can be selected for screening for genetically inherited diseases such as huntington's disease, or cystic fibrosis or genetic conditions liek downs syndrome, to create a healthy baby or treat sick sibling, or to select sex (illegal in UK) embryos created through IVF and a single cell is removed from each for genetic testing, one embryo seelcted for implantation rest discarded case study - 2002, Michelle and Jayson Whittaker asked human fertilisaton and embryology authority if they could genetically select embryo to match son charlie who has a life threatening blood disorder, refused so went to USA for treatment, 2003 hashmis had son with rare blood disorder needed bone marrow transplant were granted permission to select embryo after months of fighting in court brilliant way of saving god's life? playing god? motivations of parent? could different ethical theories approach these situations | 4 | |
| 2588049827 | sex selection | genetic screening involves destroying unwanted and unsuitable embryos, if seen as persons from conception, destruction would be opposed. fertilisation takes 24 hours so there is no specific moment when personhood may be confirmed. Singer - 14 days after conception the fertilised egg has the capacity to divide into 2 and becocme identical twins. some cases, been observed such divided eggs blend back together into one blastocyst (fertilised egg 4-5 days of devlopment). egg fertilised in vitro, one cell removed to have its genetic structure tested and developmental process unharmed, all cells of blastocyst separated each has the capacity to become a whole human being, important as blastocyst does not have true individulaity. we don't know if early embryo feels pain not enough knowledge of brain activity. people worried baby will be subject to painful medical procedres but necessary cells taken from umbilical cord. child may be treated as commodity, made to be donor or to fulfil parental desires slippery slope for eye colour etc. been doing this to animals for years. | 5 | |
| 2588057577 | genetic testing | scientists created numerous tests for genetic diseases, e.g. whether patient carrying gene which produces breast cancer of sickle cell anaemia. should results be kept private or results be divulged to employers of insurance companies. government identity cards, carries genetic info, hard to keep private could lead to discrimination genetic problems could affect other family members, should they be informed if not given consent? only gives probability of developing disorder and limitation of all medical testing is lab error | 6 | |
| 2588057578 | genetic screening | sections of population at risk. adult child or foetus. + person can be encouraged to change their lifestyle and reduce danger of developing disease. - lead to discrimination, jewish committee new york, prevent ashkenazi jews who carry tay-sachs disease from marrying each other. - may lead to aborting foetus what does society define normal and abnormal? | 7 | |
| 2588057579 | gene therapy | correct alter or replace genes, proved successful but can cause problems in case of sickle cell anaemia prevlant among afro-caribbeans gene affects few in terrible way but it is the same gene which gives natural immunity to malaria. issue of allocation of health resoruces, can genetic screening be justified for few individuals? no cure available e.g. huntingtons disease,justified? how do we know what to rest for as more and more diseases discovered to have genetic links | 8 | |
| 2588057787 | the alteration of human genes | prevent disease by changing genes. gene alteration can be used to target somatic (body) cells, in which patient's genome is changed or to germ (egg&sperm) cells paren'ts egg and sperm are changed with the aim of passing on the changes to future generations, germ line therapy (patient's sperm and egg cells changed with aim of passing on changes to their offspring) not being actively investigated on animals or humans. alteration of somatic cells 1st used in 90s successfully, used to treat life-threatening diseases. gene therapy given to foetus before birth could again mean we decide genetic predispositions are to be altered, some feel no difference between gene alteration to treat minor disability an paying school fees so child gets first-class education. most diseases involve environemnt too. | 9 | |
| 2588057788 | stem cell research | cells that change into toher cells, early embryo they can become any kind of body cell in adult they have capacity to become variety, can be taken from adult or child or baby with no harm, removed from early embryos destroys. foetal stem cells can be taken from aborted foetuses and have almost the same potential as embryonic stem cells. 2006 5 year prior patients own cells had been used to grow and replace baldders in 7 children who sufered from spina bifida, not stem cells more specialised. scientists say unnecessary to use embryonic stem cells: - embryonic step cells are very plastic unstable and become malignant causing cancer - adult stem cells are found in umbilical cord and placenta blood, every other major organ of the human body just abut - adults stem cells overcome the problem of immune rejection -adult stem cells used successfuly,embryonic stem cells long way off | 10 | |
| 2588058252 | human genome project - a limited view of humanity | Robert Song - reduce humans to their genetic inheritance? doesn't criticise science itself, or say new genetics are intrinsically reductive in themselves. suffering is pointless which is what brought about increase in number of medicl interventions, and understnding of our bodies as things can be changed according to individual tastes plastic surgery. project given us not just knowledge of body and how it is constructed by how it may be reconstructed baconian project - aim to eliminate suffering and maximise choice. | 11 | |
| 2588058253 | religious ethics | sanctity of life, god creates humans in image human life has intrinsic value, embryo for sake of other human is wrong, embryo instrinsic worth, spare embryos shouldn't be discarded, not same objections to using adult stem cells o modification of animals or plants catholic - nlt postiive about advances in science that improve human life never expensive of human life, sacred from moment of conception. catholic church worried about investments in research an who will benefit humans physically impared suffering an evil because they fall short of what it is to be fully human, correcting impariments is good, too much stress pplaced on being physically perfect? spiritual side of human neglected rules out embryo research unnatural & destroying, genetic engineering respects human life and human rights situation ethics - agape fletcher not opposed to IVF and could be cncluded embryo reseach is most loving thing to do with spare embryos, creating embryos for stem cell resrarch is difficult to justify. ramsay - approved genetic screening more good than harm , chisitians look favourably at genetic medicine normally | 12 | |
| 2588058448 | NLT | primary precept self-preservation from this secondary precept no embryo research cuz destroys life, could be argued research justified as it preserves life by curing diseases | 13 | |
| 2588058594 | utilitarianism | human life doesn't have absolute value and doesn't need to be upheld whatever the consequences, only works if can assess outcome of genetic engineering and embryo research, better to save many lives by embryo research at the cost of a few embryos. hedonic calculus only used to those who suffer, can't feel pain embryos, pleasure by cures for disease, cost to healt service also needs to be considered and the likelihood of success | 14 | |
| 2588058595 | kantian ethics | reason enabled peopl eto impose laws upon themselves, categorical imperative applied to genetic engineering and embryo research, can't unversalise. treat as end in themselves. emrbyo is considered as person? emphasis on humans right to be respected | 15 |
