The challenge of gene therapy.Perhaps the most complex decision in the history of our species is approaching: In what ways should we improve our genetic endowment Noun 1. genetic endowment - the total of inherited attributes heredity property - a basic or essential attribute shared by all members of a class; "a study of the physical properties of atomic particles" ? My concern is that we will irreversibly change what it is to be human. Once gene therapy becomes available, it'll take 10 minutes before athletes are surreptitiously sur·rep·ti·tious adj. 1. Obtained, done, or made by clandestine or stealthy means. 2. Acting with or marked by stealth. See Synonyms at secret. using it. The standard human shape would become different, and anyone with money could took like a body builder. Yet gene therapy also offers immense promise. Injecting genes to block myostatin [a substance that curbs muscle growth] could help not only those with muscular dystrophy muscular dystrophy (dĭs`trōfē), any of several inherited diseases characterized by progressive wasting of the skeletal muscles. There are five main forms of the disease. but also anyone suffering the routine loss of musculature musculature /mus·cu·la·ture/ (mus´kul-ah-cher) the muscular apparatus of the body or of a part. mus·cu·la·ture n. The arrangement of the muscles in a part or in the body as a whole. that comes with aging. We desperately need greater scientific literacy to help us figure out if we want our descendants to belong to the same species as we do. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion