Bioethics in Genetic Engineering

We are on the verge of being able to transform, manipulate, and create organisms for any number of productive purposes. From medicine, to agriculture, and industries, we are within reach of an age when manipulating the genetic codes of various organisms, or engineering entirely new organisms, promises to alter the way we relate to the natural world. As with any revolutionary technology, anxieties, fears, and moral objections to the promise of genetic engineering abound. Some are well-grounded and suggest caution,while others are the product of misinformation, religious prejudice, or hysteria.Many having this attitude are afraid that the use of the new technology amounts to an inadmissible interference with the life of animals, plants and humans. Given the relative youth of the technology and the tremendous possibilities it offers for improvement of the human condition, as well as the environment in general, careful consideration of ethical implications now can help inform and ensure the future of the genetic engineering era.Provided that it is appropriately regulated, bearing in mind ethical concerns relating to dignity, harmful consequences, and justice, its potential benefits outweigh its harms. Legislators and other responsible decision-makers should not implement regulations that unduly restrict implementation of genetic engineering. The technology should not be completely banned or prohibited, but managed justly to ensure a stable and equitable social structure.