Social Implications and Ethical Concerns
Religious issues include those people whose beliefs reject medical intervention, especially things such as receiving blood products, organ transplants, vaccines, and non herbal medications. An example was how insulin derived from pork was a problem for those of the Jewish and Muslim faith, and insulin from beef was a problem for those of the Hindu faith.
Another issue is animal rights issues: initially, insulin was derived through the killing of pigs and cows to obtain the hormone from their pancreas, and very little of the available insulin is produced this way today. Some research has used pork pancreas as organ transplants in diabetics.
Another animal right problem is that genetic engineering issues include the alteration of animal DNA to produce human insulin which would eliminate a lot of the problems with animal proteins that caused allergic reactions in some insulin users. Most insulin today is derived through the genetic alteration of a type of bacteria so that it produces insulin (recombination DNA process. Very few if any people suffer allergic reactions to this form of insulin.
Social issues really depends on the government and what they decide is best to do. The government might say that being overweight is a crime because it causes problems like diabetes. It also depends on whether or not the insurance companies or hospitals will take coverage of overweight people or not, they might consider it a problem because obesity can lead to diabetes, which then the insurance companies might need to step up, therefore they might as well just take coverage of obesity in the first place and help the person lose weight before he develops diabetes.
It may take decades for the people to realize that many type 2 diabetics are neither fat nor overindulge in unhealthy habits.
Religious issues include those people whose beliefs reject medical intervention, especially things such as receiving blood products, organ transplants, vaccines, and non herbal medications. An example was how insulin derived from pork was a problem for those of the Jewish and Muslim faith, and insulin from beef was a problem for those of the Hindu faith.
Another issue is animal rights issues: initially, insulin was derived through the killing of pigs and cows to obtain the hormone from their pancreas, and very little of the available insulin is produced this way today. Some research has used pork pancreas as organ transplants in diabetics.
Another animal right problem is that genetic engineering issues include the alteration of animal DNA to produce human insulin which would eliminate a lot of the problems with animal proteins that caused allergic reactions in some insulin users. Most insulin today is derived through the genetic alteration of a type of bacteria so that it produces insulin (recombination DNA process. Very few if any people suffer allergic reactions to this form of insulin.
Social issues really depends on the government and what they decide is best to do. The government might say that being overweight is a crime because it causes problems like diabetes. It also depends on whether or not the insurance companies or hospitals will take coverage of overweight people or not, they might consider it a problem because obesity can lead to diabetes, which then the insurance companies might need to step up, therefore they might as well just take coverage of obesity in the first place and help the person lose weight before he develops diabetes.
It may take decades for the people to realize that many type 2 diabetics are neither fat nor overindulge in unhealthy habits.