Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages:
Besides the issues of identical proteins and less side effects, there is no need to kill hundreds of thousands of animals to get the insulin needed (even as a byproduct of the meat industry, it still takes a lot of dead animal to meet the needs of all the diabetics).
Another advantage is that far greater amounts of engineered insulin can be produced for less expense now than twenty years ago (once the research and development costs were paid off, the associated costs of having to produce animal based insulin is higher than engineered insulin)
IMAGE: An example of a scientist preforming "Genetic Engineering".
Besides the issues of identical proteins and less side effects, there is no need to kill hundreds of thousands of animals to get the insulin needed (even as a byproduct of the meat industry, it still takes a lot of dead animal to meet the needs of all the diabetics).
Another advantage is that far greater amounts of engineered insulin can be produced for less expense now than twenty years ago (once the research and development costs were paid off, the associated costs of having to produce animal based insulin is higher than engineered insulin)
IMAGE: An example of a scientist preforming "Genetic Engineering".
Disadvantages:
A major disadvantage of genetic engineering includes possible irreversible effects with unknown consequences. Another disadvantage is that it contradicts some religions who believe that man has no right to manipulate the course of nature. If one is given a gene of crime the cloned human could also become violent.
Another disadvantage for this treatment is the sharp needle which is painful to most diabetic patients. Scientists are still continuing to research a better treatment such as pills, or an inhaler, which the human body would easily accept and not attack it or cause any problems.