Despite our reliance on the inhabitants of the microbial world, we know little of their number or their nature: estimates are that less than 0.01% of all microbes have been cultivated and characterized. Programs like the DOE Microbial Genome Program help lay a foundation for knowledge that will ultimately benefit human health and the environment. The economy will benefit from further industrial applications of microbial capabilities.
- Bio archaeology, anthropology, evolution, and human migration
Understanding genomics will help us understand human evolution and the common biology we share with all of life. Comparative genomics between humans and other organisms such as mice already has led to similar genes associated with diseases and traits. Further comparative studies will help determine the yet-unknown function of thousands of other genes. Comparing the DNA sequences of entire genomes of different microbes will provide new insights about relationships among the three kingdoms of life: archaebacteria, eukaryotes, and prokaryotes.
- DNA forensics (identification)
Any type of organism can be identified by examination of DNA sequences unique to that species. Identifying individuals is less precise at this time, although when DNA sequencing technologies progress further, direct characterization of very large DNA segments, and possibly even whole genomes, will become feasible and practical and will allow precise individual identification
- Agriculture, livestock breeding, and bio processing
Understanding plant and animal genomes will allow us to create stronger, more disease-resistant plants and animals --reducing the costs of agriculture and providing consumers with more nutritious, pesticide-free foods. Already growers are using bio-engineered seeds to grow insect- and drought-resistant crops that require little or no pesticide. Farmers have been able to increase outputs and reduce waste because their crops and herds are healthier.
Discuss the ethical, moral and social implications of being able to find out what alleles people carry for particular genes.
The U.S. Department of Energy (and the National Institutes of Health have devoted 3% to 5% of their annual Human Genome Project budgets toward studying the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) surrounding availability of genetic information. This represents the world's largest bioethics program, which has become a model for ELSI programs around the world.
The issue raises questions over the fairness in the use of genetic information by insurers, employers, courts, schools, adoption agencies, and the military, among others as well as Privacy and confidentiality of genetic information, in terms of who owns and controls it. Clinical issues are also raised, including the education of doctors and other health service providers, patients, and the general public in genetic capabilities, scientific limitations, and social risks; and implementation of standards and quality control measures in testing procedures. After all, how will genetic tests be evaluated and regulated for accuracy, reliability, and utility? Currently, there is little regulation at the federal level. Health and environmental issues that already exist are brought up, concerning genetically modified foods (GM) and microbes, regarding their safety to humans and their environment.
Perhaps more importantly, will biotechnology be able to provide good health to all sick people? There are fears that it might widen the poor and rich divide. In the developing world, such a revolutionized molecular medicine based expensive health care may not be the first choice for better treatment, where millions of people do not even have access to basic medical treatment. Poverty and fierce patent protection makes drugs unaffordable poor people in the world. As many disease-causing microorganisms are becoming antibiotic resistant, the people need new medicines. A parallel issue is that in many developing countries, traditional medicine is used for treatment of many diseases. Countries like China and India have developed Ayurveda and Acupuncture and it is a big source of income as well as cultural practice. From that aspect biotechnology may affect their income generation source. Many developing countries also make cheaper generic drugs and have a big market in poor countries in Africa. When world trade regulations come into force from the year 2006, the supply of those generic drugs would dry up. In June 2001 UN announced a Global Health Fund of $ 10 billion to fight AIDS, TB and malaria in the poor countries but it could generate only one tenth of its target because of differences in the priorities between Europe and Unites States.
The arguments are not meant to depreciate patents. Patents encourage scientific spirits and retain enthusiasm of stakeholders to explore new things. The challenge is how we can balance the needs of the poor with satisfying the demands of drug manufacturers. Roughly it takes approximately $500 million to produce a drug, with decades of intensive research. For scientists who spend time, money, energy and intelligence, patents are a reward for their invention. But there are limits to autonomy and scientific freedom. Scientists also have social duty above their personal autonomy to provide best from their expertise without doing harm in any form.
It is agreed that it will be extremely difficult and in some cases impossible to provide best treatment to all in need, but a rational and balanced approach is needed so that the people in the developing world have their share of benefits from these advancements. The principal of justice is not limited to the provision of good health-care systems, also it could be related to biocentric thinking when animals are used for experiments, which is another cause of concern in many countries. Criticism has been raised against multinational drug corporations using poor, disease prevalent countries as testing grounds or for placebo control trials, especially in African continent where it is not only cheaper to do trials, also, since the epidemic is at very alarming stage, the results for the trials are easy to obtain.
Ethically we should provide food and medicine to those who need them. The concept can be argued from utilitarian ethics, which says maximum good for maximum people or based on theory of Justice by Rawls, that argues for goodness based on the least that could be benefited.
