Genetically Engineered Pharmaceuticals
Genetic engineering in pharmaceuticals, commonly referred to as “pharming”, involves the use of genetically modified organisms to produce pharmaceutical products and mainly includes the mass-production of insulin, human growth hormones, follistim (for treating infertility), human albumin, monoclonal antibodies, antihemophilic factors, vaccines, and many other drugs.
Several pharmaceutical companies already sell these genetically engineered products and new ones are constantly being developed, but the process of developing and generating a profitable pharmed product can take years- it's considered experimental. Materials used in this process involve both plants and animals.
Several pharmaceutical companies already sell these genetically engineered products and new ones are constantly being developed, but the process of developing and generating a profitable pharmed product can take years- it's considered experimental. Materials used in this process involve both plants and animals.
How It Works
“New DNA may be inserted in the host genome by first isolating and copying the genetic material of interest, using molecular-cloning methods to generate a DNA sequence; or by synthesizing the DNA, and then inserting this construct into the host organism.”
This process has been very beneficial in being able to produce many types of drugs and hormones for medical use, which is the main reason why the controversial topic is desirable.
This process has been very beneficial in being able to produce many types of drugs and hormones for medical use, which is the main reason why the controversial topic is desirable.
Insulin
One of the major
pharmaceutical products as a result of genetic engineering is insulin- it was
actually one of the first genetically engineered products. Insulin is extremely
essential in the treatment of diabetes, a chronic disease in which there are
high levels of sugar in the blood.
Insulin is produced by beta cells in the pancreas and is the most important hormone in the body to regulate blood glucose levels. A partial or complete lack of insulin causes diabetes, and, although not a cure, insulin injections have been the standard treatment since 1924. Previously, insulin extracted from pigs was used, which has dissimilar amino acid sequences as compared to humans, so it was common for humans to experience bad immune responses. But with the help of genetic engineering, insulin can be mass-produced absolutely identical to human insulin, not causing immune reactions. |
Human Growth Hormones
Another important pharmaceutical product, human growth hormone, or HGH, can now be extracted from genetically manufactured bacteria. It can be used to treat those suffering from dwarfism. Also, these genetically manufactured human growth hormones are extremely efficacious in the treatment of skin burns, bone fractures, and ulcers in the digestive tract.
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Debates
Most
of the debate over genetically engineered pharmaceuticals deals with legal,
ethical, and health related issues. The process of developing them is costly,
as researchers need to manipulate genes and test the outcome to confirm it is
usable. Also, the ethical concerns deal with people who do not want to consume
genetically modified organisms or their products, and people with allergies who
might be adversely affected if they take medications produced by an organism
that is a known allergen. Although these might concern some people, DELTAFORCE1 holds the belief that genetic engineering in pharmaceuticals should be funded, as the benefits of mass producing these life-saving medications far outweigh the few negative concerns.