Video Transcript
Before considering modifying an
organism with genetic engineering, which of the following statements outlines all of
the aspects a scientist should take into consideration? (A) A scientist should only
carefully consider the technical difficulty of the process. (B) A scientist should always
carefully consider the time and money it will cost to produce a genetically modified
organism. (C) In addition to the safety,
feasibility, and relevance of the experiment, a scientist should always carefully
consider all ethical, moral, and legal aspects. Or (D) a scientist should always
carefully consider the fame that they will gain from the genetically modified
organism.
To answer this question, let’s
remove the answer choices so we have more room to work with. This question asks about the
considerations that must be addressed before modifying the organism for genetic
engineering.
You might recall that there are
many benefits to genetically modified organisms. Genetic modification has
contributed to increase crop yield and pest resistance, advances in medicine and
drug production, new developments in scientific research, and many other beneficial
effects. There are, however, some
considerations that must be reviewed prior to engaging in genetic modification. For instance, scientists should
consider if genetically modifying the organism is really necessary. This brings up a number of
questions related to safety and relevance of genetic engineering.
In addition, a scientist must
evaluate whether genetically modifying an organism is truly ethical or not. Recall that ethics refers to the
moral principles and whether an action is inherently right or wrong. Genetic modifications in humans
specifically are one of these ethical and moral dilemmas. While genetically modifying humans
could open up the door for new treatments to diseases like cancer and heart disease,
these remain unclear areas regarding safety, necessity, and whether these are fair
practices or not.
Now that we’ve discussed some of
the considerations for genetic modification, we’re able to answer our question. In response to “which of the
following statements outlines all of the aspects a scientist should take into
consideration?,” the best answer is (C). In addition to the safety,
feasibility, and relevance of the experiment, a scientist should always carefully
consider all ethical, moral, and legal aspects.
