Is This Morally Right?
Question by Jake Ford: Is this morally right?
(CNN) — A genetically modified monkey could be the key to one day curing a number of human diseases, researchers said Thursday.
The baby rhesus monkey — named ANDi, for “inserted DNA” spelled backwards — carries in him an extra bit of DNA from a jellyfish. Although mice have been altered in this way for years, ANDi is the first primate to be similarly modified.
Researchers at the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center said their technique could eventually be used to insert a human disease gene into a monkey, creating a better way of studying diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes and breast cancer. The center is part of the Oregon Health Sciences University.
“In order to eradicate these diseases we need to have the relevant disease models to perfect these innovative cures and make sure they are safe and optimized before testing them on patients,” said Dr. Gerald Schatten, who led the research at the primate center.
“Meddling with the building blocks of life is extremely dangerous,” said Peter Wood, a spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. “It goes right to the core of the research philosophy, which is ‘I can do with animals as I please. I can even change their physiology.'”
Wood also said he doubted the work would yield new discoveries to treat human diseases.
Do you think that testing these genes on monkeys as right? Is it fair to create a monkey that has a similar genome to humans, and carry out tests to see which genes work and which dont? These could cure some major diseases in humans, but that’s only a could. Leave your opinion below, thanks
Best answer:
Answer by RAJ
ya its just “could”…
but when its discovered it could be a great leap towards disease cure..
infact almost every cure which we have today have been discovered through experiments on animals..
it would be better if we encourage those people so that they make everything possible in a safe manner..
What do you think? Answer below!