Genetic engineering is an important issue in society today. Some people think that it will improve people’s lives in many ways. Others feel that it may be a threat to life on earth. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

The recent success in cloning of primates and embryo editing has bore witness to the substantial advancement in genetic engineering, at the same time arousing numerous public expressions of concern. In my opinion, the potential benefits of this technology largely outweigh its major risks. On the one hand, safety hazards related to this technology though having significantly low possibility of occurrence, are too profound to be ignored. Unintended or off-target manipulation in genes of natural disease spreading vectors such as mosquitoes will likely lead to cascading effects throughout species, causing lasting damage to the entire ecosystem. The high affordability and accessibility of certain biological tools and materials further exacerbates the situation. If they were to be used for unethical or even malicious purposes, biotechnology would turn into a Pandora’s box, which once opened, releases endless catastrophic consequences, eventually posing existential threat to life on earth. On the other hand, improvements in medication and therapeutic procedures empowered by genetic engineering has already transformed lives of many. Innovative treatments such as gene and cell therapies which offer high efficacy and cause few side effects have made controlling or even curing certain types of diseases a possibility. Therefore, greatly enhancing the life quality of sufferers, while also increasing their life expectancy. Conversely, previous conventional therapies involve treatments that may impart long-term damage to patients’ well-being and often produce undesirable outcomes. Adding on the fact that genetic engineering also serves as the foundation for many other emerging biotechnologies, the full potential scope and scale of related benefits could be much larger. In conclusion, it may be true that if improperly used, application of genetic engineering will pose risks at population level. But prevention of these risks is not an insurmountable task, and, since this technology will inevitably play an increasingly important role in our lives, I believe we should focus on its enormous potential which will hopefully be exploited for the benefit of mankind.