GENETIC ENGINEERING/GENETIC

RECONSTRUCTION/GENETIC INTERVENTION

Dr. E. T. Acevedo
References:
1. Robert M. Veatch - Medical Ethics
2. Ronald Munson - INTERVENTION & REFLECTION: Basic
Issues in Medical Ethics
3. B.M. Ashley &K.D. O’Rourke - ETHICS in Health Care
4. Florentino T. Timbreza - Bioethics & Moral Decisions
5. Michael A. Monge, M.D. - Ethical Practices in HEALTH &
DISEASES

INTRODUCTION

GENETIC ENGINEERING/GENETIC
RECONSTRUCTION:

1. Direct intervention in the genetic make-up of a

living being, the replacement of genes or the
addition of new genes to the genetic “code” or
“blueprint” of an organism. (Varga: 82)

2. Involves the whole process of altering genes, the

building blocks of life, in order to achieve a
radically, or a completely new, human being.
(Overduinn & Fleming: 172-173)

3. The effort to repair genetic defects at their

genotypic source in the genes and chromosomes
rather than in their phenotypic effects and, further,
to control and produce at will new combinations
of genetic traits in offspring. (Ashley/O’Rourke) (1)
GENETIC ENGINEERING includes:

1. Genetic testing
2. Genetic screening
3. Prenatal diagnosis
4. Genetic control
5. In vitro fertilization
6. Embryo transfer
7. Cloning
8. Sperm and zygote banking
9. Sex selection
10. Surrogacy
11. Organic Transplant
12. Contraception
13. Amniocentesis
14. Artificial insemination

‘Genetic Engineering: Its morality and value to

biotechnology:

• Scientists can take useful genes from plant and

animal cells and transfer them to microorganisms
such as yeast and bacteria that are easy to grow in
large quantities. Products that once are available only
in small amounts from an animal or plant are then
available in large quantities from rapidly growing
microbes.
Ex. – the use of genetically engineered bacteria
to produce human insulin for treating diabetes.

(2)
 • Can be useful for animal and plant breeders. G.E.
allows desirable genes from one plant, animal, or
microorganism to be incorporated into an unrelated
species, thus, avoiding the constraints of normal
cross breeding. A wider range of traits is available to
the breeders and these traits can be incorporated
more quickly and more reliably into target species
than possible with conventional methods.

Ethical consideration:

Cloning, freezing of embryos, post mortem

insemination, and sperm banking or cryopreservation
constitute an offense against the respect due to human
beings by manipulating them.

APPLICATION OF ETHICAL THEORIES:

Pope John Paul II - “a strictly therapeutic

intervention whose explicit objective is the healing of
various maladies such as those stemming from
chromosomal defects will, in principle, be considered
desirable, provided it is directed to the true promotion
of the personal well-being of the individual without
doing harm to his integrity or worsening his
conditions of life. Such intervention would indeed fall
within the logic of the Christian moral tradition.”

(3)
1. Genetic testing
Chromosomal manipulations or interventions are
contrary to the personal dignity of the human being
and his or her integrity and identity.

2. Prenatal diagnosis
It is done with the purpose of aborting the fetus if
it is found to be deformed,

3. Genetic screening
It is to be condemned as a violation of the unborn
child’s right to life.

4. Genetic control. Constitute an offense against

5. In vitro fertilization the respect due to human
6. Embryo transfer beings by manipulating them.

7. Cloning contrary to the unity of

8. Sperm & zygote banking marriage and to the
9. Sex selection dignity of the
10. Surrogacy procreation of the
human person
11. Organic Transplant

(4)
 MORAL PROBLEMS AND QUESTIONS

1. With Rawl’s concept of justice as “fairness”, or

“giving one one’s due”, should we regard sex
exchange operations on transsexuals a way of
granting what is due to them therapeutically?
“What is due” to a transsexual is recognizing
his/her true feelings, e.g., a male with the
feelings of a female, and vice versa; hence, it
seems a sex change would do justice to him or
her. Discuss the moral issue of this matter.
2. Suppose you are born without a uterus, a
natural defect – i.e., something “unnatural” for a
human being; you cannot carry a child, which is
again “unnatural” for a woman. Your ovaries,
however, are functional –i.e., you produce eggs.
Modern medical science has a technological
solution to your “natural defect” or incapacity
to carry a child, namely: surrogate motherhood.
Would you or would you not undertake the
process? Justify your stand on this issue.
3. Some moralists contend of tampering that
medical interventions (e.g., AIH, AID, etc.) are
ways of tampering with nature. Should we not
rather view these means as “correcting” natural
defect (e.g., obstruction in the fallopian tube
and other forms of infertility) which is
“unnatural” so as to make it “natural”? Should
it not be our moral obligation to correct the
“unnatural” in compliance with the dictates of
natural moral law?
(5)