pitalists are looking for a return on investment in a 2-4 year period…” states Peter Bernardoni, a partner in Technology Funding, a venture capital firm (Halim, 1999).Research projects such as the Human Genome Project (a government-funded program to map the estimated 100,000 genes that make up the human species) provide a valuable resource in the search for treatments and cures of genetic disorders. 400 of the 2000 genes studied have already been linked to genetic disorders. (1998, Starr & Taggart). As James D. Watson points out we may or may not be able to find a cure for certain diseases without this information, but the time and money that would be saved by utilizing it and connecting the predisposing genes to the disease could well be in the billions (1997).Some people oppose genetic engineering because they fear that harmful, uncontrollable bacteria might be produced accidentally. Others worry about environmental damage by the deliberate introduction of organisms whose heredity has been altered. People question the morality of manipulating the genetic material of living creatures. Our fear of the unknown has slowed the progress of many scientific discoveries in the past. The thought of humans flying, or stepping on the moon was not easy for the average person to accept, but in time, these were accepted, and are now an everyday occurrence in our lives. With time, knowledge and exploration, genetic engineering too will come into full use in our society. This science is the newest and most exciting step into human evolution, and through knowledge and experimentation and research, genetic engineering’s possibilities are endless. Public funding of genetic research should help alleviate public fear by allowing the people a voice in the process....
