Biotechnology is becoming more and more advanced these days.
Human
cloning, genetic engineering and stem cell research should all be
used to: a) improve the human body and mind; b) improve food crops
and food animals and c) make our lives more comfortable. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?
New advances in biotechnology are demonstrating their endless potential and countless
applications. As a result, possibilities are wide and open, and applicable to numerous
aspects of our lives. Regarding the question about whether it's correct to use these tools to
improve our lives, I see the necessity to be cautious, selectively accepting certain
technologies and carefully analyzing the rest.
Genetic engineering and stem cell treatments are two powerful tools that can help
humankind to cure thousands of diseases and extend life, not only adding years but also
providing more quality to it. Bioengineering encompasses many other areas, being the
solution to create compatible organs as well as biomaterials to implant into the human body,
minimizing the risk of rejection. Developing vaccines by bioengineering proves to be really
effective and development times are shorter than previously achieved with classic
techniques. Advance genetic modification of food crops could produce seeds able to develop
themselves in the most challenging and hostile environments, making them resilient to
shortage of water, nutrients or even sunlight. Cloning allows us to replicate the best animals
of several species benefiting us from their superior genetic characteristics focusing on
reproduction. By implementing these advances to increase plants and animals production,
food demand could be mitigated and help to reduce global hunger.
Like any other science development that affects human beings and life overall, implications,
risks and repercussions must be considered. They range from moral and ethical to
biological, environmental and socioeconomic considerations. One risk is changing our DNA
so deeply that humans evolve into another species, creating a gap between individuals and
increasing social frictions, even more if those changes improve human attributes that place
some people one step ahead of the rest. Therefore, access to such advanced technology
must be democratic accessible for everyone, and not only affordable for wealthy social
classes. In terms of food production, both animal and plant, the risk of loss of genetic
diversity carries long-term consequences, such as vulnerability to new plagues and
emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Plantations are usually food sources for other
species that should be evaluated since transgenic crops could have negative effects on
beneficial organisms, such as bees and other pollinators. To conclude, in a scenario where
big companies control crop production, there may be a food security risk that creates a
system of dependence on agricultural producers, undermining their autonomy.
This is clearly a wide open subject, with vast areas to explore and plenty of points to
consider, where every step needs to be evaluated in order to ponder benefits and
drawbacks. Biotechnology brings new and exciting possibilities with endless applications.
However, the panorama is so broad that the analysis preceding each decision must be
comprehensive, considering every possible consequence. Therefore, regulation and
oversight are critical to ensuring that bioengineering is used safely and responsibly.
