Genetic engineering and gene therapy are the future of medicine, because classical medicine is beginning to be discredited, and the big farmaceutical companies are losing ground. So maybe genetic engineering will replace drugs, because it has a lot of potential for improving our health.

Genetic engineering means manipulating the genes (small segments of DNA) from an organism, and the modification of the organism's genetic material to eliminate anomalies. The manipulation of the genes is made outside the organism, and the modified cells are then re-entered inside the body. This can be done by cutting the gene out and putting it inside another fragment of DNA. This way, genetic engineering can create genetically modified organisms, or new improved drugs that are produced naturally by plants, and many more other things, like the enhancement of human's abilities and qualities.

Also, genetic engineering can be used on a much larger scale, because it can modify the genes in such a way that agressive intentions are inhibited, or it can solve one of the biggest problems of food production - the destruction of the crops by parasites, by making the crops resistant to them.

However, the most important use of genetic engineering remains in medicine. Large 'crops' of insulin have been created through genetic engineering, and also other hormones, like the one used to treat anemia and hemophilia. Modified DNA can also be used to produce vaccines for diseases. Vaccines against herpes, flu and hepatitis, coming from genetically engineered DNA are now being used.

But genetic engineering poses ethical and religious problems for many people who are claiming that we shouldn't play with God's creations. The reaction of the people to genetic engineering was mixed - they were glad about the genetically modified improved medicines, but the animal rights organizations are fighting against genetically modifying the animals, environment organizations fear that the modified plants can have unwanted characteristics, such as resistance to herbicides, and of course the church is against genetic engineering.

Only time will tell what the future holds for genetic engineering, we only know for sure now that it can be both good and harmful.