Craig Venter's creation of the first synthetic cell may indeed be 'path-breaking' in the field of genetic engineering. But it also poses a threat to the future of human civilisation. Man's tinkering with nature through unbridled scientific experiments could bring catastrophe. Society cannot stand by while the Victor Frankensteins of the world are let loose in a mad competition to create 'better' monsters. The first service to preserve a healthy balance of life on earth and to ensure harmony with nature is to recognise the existence of ethical and legal issues in all kinds of genetic research. The way genetic engineering has mushroomed in various universities or private labs funded by corporates with commercial interests or governments with national security interests is a cause for concern. We cannot let boardrooms of corporates or war rooms of militaries dictate terms and conditions for scientific research. Venter has already applied for patents on more than 300 genes, raising issues related to intellectual property rights to the building blocks of life. A CIA report has warned about this kind of technology enabling the creation of diseases currently unknown to mankind. The danger of bioterrorism, where organisations like al-Qaeda acquire or fund research on such viruses, cannot be ruled out. Let's not create scope for new diseases like the Chimera virus in Mission Impossible-II. The inability of the international community to create a consensus on fighting global warming and climate change doesn't create confidence in its capacity to handle new global threats. Unintended consequences will surely follow if we unleash new life forms on the planet. It's time to take a step back, and desist from going where science ought never to have gone.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Home/Opinion/Edit-Page/It-has-created-a-monster/articleshow/5959329.cms
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