Pros and Cons of Genetically Modified Babies

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Pros and Cons of Genetically Modified Babies

Genetically modified babies? Yes, it is possible, at least to some degree. However very possibility means that there are many deeper possibilities and that opens and entire new can of worms. The pros and cons of these things are endless, but there are some clear lines that people will draw in the sand. People will have to understand that there will always be a group in strong opposition to any genetic manipulation. This a group of people that will never budge and there is no changing their minds.

What Does Genetically Modified Babies Offer?

On the pro side of the issue are some well-defined medical conditions that can be gone forever. The parents of a child with lifelong medical issues will no doubt state that their child could have had an easier or happier life with genetic modification prior to birth. Daily they see their child struggle with one affliction or another and know that other children in the future can live without these struggles.

On the other side, there are those that will point to the problems that can come from tinkering with DNA. Once the door has been opened and modifications begin, there is no telling what new medical conditions that may arise and there is the possibility that changing one DNA factor may lead to worse problems than the procedure stopped in the first place. There is also a phase of testing that will no doubt have failures that are truly horrible.

High Costs Expected

If this is something that ever does happen, there will be financial issues. If the cost of genetic modification is high, and it likely will be. That can mean that the space between the poorer parts of the population and the richer parts will grow in leaps and bounds. If a rich family can ensure that their child is both healthier and perhaps even “smarter” than it would have naturally been and the poorer parts of the population are forced to deal with the natural order of things, then there will surely grow a vast space between the two groups as more and more success comes to the families that can afford it.

There will also begin an underground network of illegal modifications that come from the research done by legitimate medical groups. Like any illegal operation, corners will be cut, equipment will be of poor quality and the results will show in the work that is done. The number of errors and the horrific results will grow in numbers.

There is no doubt that everyone wants the best for their child and the fact is that medicine is getting closer to making that happen for everyone. The questions that arise from this are staggering and there is no doubt that the future will be filled with wonders and with horrors.