Science and Society

What can people expect now that scientists are able to create new forms of life by controlling the genetic code? Perhaps cats that don't cause allergies? Or plants with black leaves so they can absorb more sunlight? What about grass that never needs mowing? Or bacteria that can tell if a terrorist is carrying explosives? Many people are excited about the benefits that genetic engineering can bring--it helps doctors diagnose and treat diseases. It is helping to make the world a safer and cleaner place to live in. However, people need to be warned about the consequences of genetic engineering, too. Besides making sure that applications are safe, are scientists using ethical procedures? Readers investigate the issues for and against genetic engineering and learn about the benefits and risks of its applications.

Because of the biological similarities between many animals and humans, scientists can learn about diseases, and find out how humans might react to medicines, cosmetics, chemicals, and other products by testing them on animals first. According to the Humane Society of the United States, more than twenty-five million animals are used in research, testing, and education each year. Readers learn about the various philosophies on animal testing, what tests are used, and how they are performed. The book presents the pros and cons of animal testing and some of the alternative methods to animal testing that scientists are developing today.

The spread of harmful chemicals and biological organisms can injure and kill thousands of people and make an infected area unlivable for some time to come. In the age of modern terrorism, many people fear militant organizations will unleash chemical and biological weapons in public places. This book provides readers with an overview of what these weapons are, who uses them and why, and explains how much of a threat they are to our way of life. Over time, countries have pledged to ban the use of CBWs in various agreements, with limited success.

Throughout the world today the debate still rages over whether genetically modified food is a blessing or a curse. On one hand, genetically modified food allows farmers to grow crops in places where standard crops won't grow. They can also reduce people's reliance on dangerous pesticides. On the other hand, there is much that is still unknown about such foods, and their effects on human and animal health, the environment, local economies, and biodiversity. In this book, readers learn about all these issues and concerns so that they can gain an understanding of the effects that raising and consuming genetically modified organisms have on the environment and on their bodies.

Medicines unquestionably save lives and improve health and the quality of life. On rare occasions, they also harm and kill those who take them. Lab scientists around the world experiment with new medications to combat illnesses and to relieve pain and stress. Sometimes, even when they are used properly, the medicines' effects are not entirely good. Drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regularly are found to produce unforeseen and dangerous, sometimes deadly, side effects--after years of prescribed use, in some cases. That is why extensive testing is required before a new medication becomes available to the general public. Yet many consumers do not understand why the FDA seems to drag its feet in approving new medications that offer terminally ill patients hope for a cure. In this engrossing book, readers learn about the disagreement over the process of developing and distributing medicines. They understand the distrust toward drug makers, government regulators, and distributors, and examine the questions of timing and costs. But what about those cases in which the side effects of a dangerous drug have not come to light until many years after the drug was approved for marketing? How many years should scientists, drug companies, FDA officials, and doctors wait before the testing ends and they can introduce a new medicine, concluding that it is safe to use?

With about four million births each year in the United States, it's hard to imagine that infertility is of a particular concern to anyone. It is a major health concern, though, for as many as one in six U.S. couples who desperately want children and seem to be unable to have them. This book delves into the many issues concerning assisted reproductive technology, the causes of infertility, and various methods of treatment, The social implications of having "designer" babies, the costs of creating a child, and the controversy over using embryos for stem cell research are also investigated.