DNA Technology in Medicine Essay Example

were necessary for their immune system's proper functioning. Despite being a new technology, the procedure will be attempted on several other children and offers hope for countless others. However, its newness also poses significant risks as gene therapy continues to advance. Scientists are only now beginning to make gene therapy work.

Just a few years ago, this technology's narrative was marked by disappointment. A young boy lost his life in 1999 while receiving gene therapy for a rare metabolic ailment at the University of Pennsylvania4. Meanwhile, at a Boston hospital, three out of six patients perished during a gene therapy experiment. Additionally, during a procedure designed to treat brain tumors, an error resulted in partial paralysis and speech difficulties for patients.

Currently, gene therapy operations have more failures than successes. However, the industry of medicine through DNA technology centers around exploring the human genome to identify genes and comprehend their functionality in combating disease. While this process presents a challenging task, companies are investing billions in these investigations with the expectation of future profit. The obstacle stands in the fact that 98% of DNA is categorized as "junk" or introns, seemingly not coding for anything significant.

Despite the creation of numerous systems aimed at identifying functional genes in the human genome, they remain highly costly and not entirely dependable. Additionally, determining the function of a discovered gene proves to be a challenging task. One strategy involves examining entire populations in order to discover relevant genes, but this method proves to be both arduous and costly. Another technique involves using "expressed-sequence tagging" to observe diseases from a genetic standpoint.

Many companies invest billions in finding genes to understand

their functions and how they interact. These investigations are carried out by private pharmaceutical or genomic companies with the aim of generating profit from their knowledge. Their approach focuses on identifying a disease-causing gene, patenting it, and producing DNA computer chips, pills, or proteins to prevent, cure, or identify the disease. The discovery of genes causing diseases such as breast cancer is beneficial for both patients and companies such as Myriad Genetics who market tests for heart disease and cancer-causing mutations. Other companies are developing DNA chips capable of recognizing mRNA from almost 7000 genes to differentiate between different types of leukemia or prostate cancer.

The diagnostics are focused on using identified and patented genes to develop new small-molecule drugs. Millennium Pharmaceuticals is working on creating a pill for obesity, while Human Genome Sciences is concentrating on producing therapeutic proteins that are more effective than small-molecule drugs. Therapeutic proteins already exist, but with genomic knowledge, the market that was worth approximately 20 billion dollars in 2000 will grow significantly.

The Guardian's research has found that pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, government institutes, and universities have patented over 127,000 human genes or partial human gene sequences. Many of these organizations are seeking to patent genes without knowledge of their function for future profits. However, keeping a patent alive costs about $250,000 which makes these investments significant. While the developments may lead to cures for many diseases, there may be negative consequences such as genomic knowledge in medicine potentially minimizing the role of doctors since DNA computer chips could diagnose and prescribe tailored drugs. However, private companies own patents and will charge for access which may make genetic services

unaffordable for many people. With patented medicines being considerably more expensive than generic ones it is unclear whether affordable medicine will be available in DNA technology.

Despite the fact that health services in richer countries like the UK, such as the NHS, have already started offering genetic tests for diseases like cancer with a 30 million pound investment, it is unlikely that poor countries will be able to afford the high costs associated with this technology. While DNA-based medicine may hold immense potential in curing diseases, there is concern that only a select few will benefit from it, leading to increased wealth for certain companies while much of the world's population remains without access. Furthermore, before discussing potential costs associated with genetic testing and treatment, there is an ethical question of whether it is right to patent genes. Some argue that claiming exclusive rights over something everyone is born with goes against the purpose of patents designed to reward inventors rather than discoverers. Though some genes may remain in public domain even if patented by individuals or companies, most private entities impose restrictions on them which many believe are unjust; for example, NIH patented an individual's cell line from Solomon Islands in 1993.

11 The indigenous man provided the "genetic makeup" that may lead to a cure for a disease, but will he receive any economic benefit? Some agencies doubt that companies patenting genes will share profits with those who provided them. However, a deeper question must be addressed: biomedicine and genetic science may advance to the point where humans seek perfection through gene modification. Francis Fukuyama warns of the dangers of pursuing intelligence or choosing the

sex and personality of one's child, resulting in designer babies. This outcome goes beyond the goals of the Human Genome Project and could lead to biochemistry being used for ego-driven self-enhancement instead of treating illnesses.

If we alter our genes, are we playing God? The use of DNA technology in this manner conflicts with the religious beliefs and morality of many. However, some hold a contrary viewpoint to Fukuyama's. Richard Dawkins cites A.E. Houseman in "River out of Eden," stating "For Nature, heartless, witless nature will never care nor know." He goes on to say that "DNA neither cares, nor knows."

Although DNA technology has potential benefits in medical treatments and energy sources, some argue that it should be explored, utilized, and appreciated as another aspect of nature. However, the ethical considerations surrounding this technology are complex and controversial. It is crucial to address these concerns carefully since significant amounts of money are invested in this field. Failure to do so could result in a society prioritizing only perfect traits and rejecting humanity's inherent imperfections - much like the risks associated with nuclear energy.

DNA technology offers immense benefits to humans, but its control and beneficiaries remain a concern. To ensure that the technology advances responsibly, watchdogs like the World Health Organization, the World Trade Organization, and civil society organizations will have crucial roles. Although the potential benefits are enormous, their maximization worldwide is vital for its true value to the world.