Frankenstein science

In Greek mythology, there is a creature called "chimera." This monstrous creature is said to have the head of a lion, body of a goat and a dragon hinderpart. While this creature may be a myth, there is a worrying sign that genetic engineering has managed to open the doors towards the creation of creatures with hybrid DNAs.

I actually read this particular piece of news on the flight to Kuala Terengganu yesterday and find it most disturbing. The creation of human-animal embryos is a classic case of ethics versus research in science. While the backing of the British Parliament in allowing this research would keep Britain at the forefront of stem cell research, there are many ethical and religious concerns that must be addressed. Muslims and Christians are the two groups that would find the creation of "admixed embryos" most unethical. Christian groups have even dubbed this research as "Frankenstein science."

I can list a number of concerns that must be addressed when it comes to this kind of research:

1. Would the creation of human-animal embryos go against the natural order of things as created by God?
2. Where do we draw the line when it comes to embryonic research?
3. Should we allow research to be done for the sake of research without weighing in on ethical and religious concerns?
4. How vital is this research in finding cures for illnesses such as Parkinson's?
   
5. Is "finding cures for illnesses" just an excuse to conduct this research?
6. Is injecting human DNA into animal cells ethical?
7. What are the risks and dangers of this research?
8. What are the guidelines governing this research?
9. Could this technology be exploited, misused or abused by scientists?
10. How far could scientists go about conducting this research before they stop?
11. What is the legal status of the embryo - is it human or is it animal or is it considered something different entirely?
    

Certainly there are many more concerns that can be raised. But suffice to say I am very concerned with this development. While I support and understand the importance of conducting scientific research, I am a believer of the equally important role that ethics and religion play in providing guidance for researchers to conduct the research. To me, science does not exist in a vacuum. Science exists alongside other facets of our lives, and these include social norms, religious beliefs, local culture, time-honoured virtues and moral standings of particular individuals and societies. If we fail to acknowledge this and allow scientific research to be conducted without taking into account these matters, then I fear that scientific research would be subject to exploitation, misuse and abuse by irresponsible quarters.

Coincidentally, this is the very subject that I tackled in my second novel, Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba. While the novel may be a piece of creative writing on my part, the questions that I raised in the novel are very much relevant to this issue. I just hope that what is depicted in my novel remains as science fiction. I dare not think what would happen if it indeed becomes a reality.