But it may not be realized that genetic material could be imported from other species of animals to produce humans having, for example, the chimpanzee's resistance to HIV, or humans who make their own vitamin C as do the Pandas. The possibilities are apparently limitless, although some of them may be a while in coming. Recently some genetic material from a jelly fish was inserted into some cloned monkeys and some of them actually glowed in the dark. Opponents of genetic engineering are quick to point out that things can go wrong. Even without genetic engineering things frequently go wrong.
Many fetuses spontaneously abort because of some genetic defect.
As we learn more about the role of genes in personality, we may discover that we can prevent numerous kinds of criminality as well as personality types prone to depression or perhaps to violence. Objecting to such research on the grounds that in changing genes to curb excessive violence we might create a person who was too passive is not fair. X-rays can cause cancer, but we still use them because the benefits outweigh the liabilities. The same will be true of genetic engineering. Other fears have to do with the supposition that the government will be empowered to force genetic engineering on the citizens.