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Part III. THE. SOCIAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES OF 
HUMAN GENETIC ENGINEERING 
Since the ability to manipulate genetic material was 
first recognized, scientists, religious leaders and the public 
have debated the potential social and ethical consequences of 
rDNA. Concern regarding the first stages of rDNA technology, 
i.e., the development and production of drugs and biologies such 
as interferon and insulin, has been allayed for the most part. 
The problems encountered in producing safe medications through 
gene splicing have been shown to differ little from problems 
with conventionally developed products. However, gene therapy 
and gene surgery inhumlms, the anticipated next phases of rDNA* 
will continue to generate questions as to the effect of this 
technology on our society. 
A. Religious and Ethical Views- on Genetic Experiments in Humans 
Human beings have been creating new life forms since the 
cultivation of new characteristics in plants and breeding of new 
traits in animals was learned. The difference with rDNA 
technology is that it "breaches species barriers" by combining 
DNA from different organisms and does so by scientific 
design--not chance. The ethical question here is whether there 
is something intrinsically wrong with intentionally crossing 
species lines. 
Among religious leaders, genetic engineering is joften 
described as "playing God." For some, it expresses the view that 
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