Our scientific advancement become faster every day. It is our responsibility to check not only the benefits but also the potential drawbacks of this technology. Genetic engineering assists to modify the genetic material of organisms, through foreign genes, to get our desired traits. It holds the value of improving crops, curing diseases, and more. Genetic engineering is the best career for anyone but there are possible risks of it. You need to know about the possible disadvantages of genetic engineering as an enthusiast about the subject.
Ethical Dilemmas
Genetic engineering disadvantages can be ethical. The main human challenge to all nature through genetic changes in our living organisms. We can surprise by the unique organism that came into life with it. The possible creation of “designer babies” where specific genetic traits can raise social inequality and discrimination based on genetics.
Environmental Impact
Genetic engineering enables us to change the environment according to requirements. But it has a risk to grow dangerous plants that can disturb humans or other species. Genetically modified crops crossbreed with wild plants, creating hybrid species that can destroy native plants. It can yield to the end of your main crops for survival. This could have effects on biodiversity and disturb our ecosystems.
Health Risks
When it comes to human health, genetic engineering gives us improvements and risks. Experts try their best to give genetic diseases treatments, but there’s a risk of unintended results. For example, gene change may lead to stop mutations, resulting in unknown health problems in individuals. Genetically modified foods can potentially cause allergic reactions or unknown long-term health effects, as the introduction of foreign genes can lead to unexpected biochemical interactions.
Corporate Control and Monopoly
Genetic engineering is often driven by biotech companies that get money from their engineered organisms. Farmers might become dependent on specific genetically modified seeds, limiting their options and autonomy. This concentration of control could stop innovation and hinder small-scale farmers’ ability to compete.
Moral and Cultural Concerns
The practice of genetic engineering brings deeply held moral and cultural beliefs. Some communities view changing the natural order as ethically unacceptable. For example, changing the genetics of animals for agricultural purposes could be seen as disrespectful to specific cultural practices that value all living beings.
Food Nutrition can Less
When animals grow and mature quickly the nutritional value of that product can be reduced. This can be seen in poultry products today with the white striping that is found in meat products. That striping is a fat deposit that was often created in the breast meat because of the rapid growth of the bird. The housekeeper reports that this can increase the fat content of the meat consumed. At the same time, the amount of protein that is received is also reduced.
Pathogens Adaptions
Genetic engineering can create a natural resistance against certain pathogens for plants and animals but the natural evolutionary process creates pathways. Bacteria and viruses evolve a resistance that is created by genetic engineering efforts. This causes the pathogens to become stronger and more resistant than they normally would be potentially creating future health concerns that are unknown.
Less Favorable Biodiversity
At some points, genetically engineered plants and animals make it “into the wild” and interact with other species. This results in a crossing of natural and artificial organisms often dominate resulting in only a modified species over several generations reducing the diversity that is available.
Negative Side Effects
Genetic engineering is guaranteed to make a change. Many of those changes are positive creating more and healthier foods. Some of those changes become Disadvantages of Genetic Engineering that are unexpected. Making a plant to become more tolerant to insects might also make that plant become less tolerant to direct sunlight. Animals may be modified to produce more milk and have a shortened lifespan that reduces the farm system’s growth.
Costly Consequences
Many companies copyright their genetic engineering processes or products to maintain their profitability. If a farmer plants genetically modified crops and pollinate the field to get more modified crops, the authorities can have legal actions against the unauthorized farmer. This results to increase the overall cost that fewer farmers can pay for the higher cost of the seeds that are planted.
