Introduction

Genetically modified plants and foods are nourishments that have been fashioned from organisms that have had transformations announced into their DNA with the use of genetic engineering. Using the procedure of genetic engineering, GMO plants have been designed to allow new genes and traits into their systems to have much control over existing traits compared to previous methods like mutation breeding and selective breeding (Vàzquez-Salat, Salter,  Smets &  Houdebine 2012). Most genetically modified plants and crops have basically focused on cash crops of high demand by farmers such as cotton, corn, soy bean, and canola. Genetically modified crops in the medical profession have been engineered particularly for resistance to pathogens and disease causing bacteria as well as herbicides to protect plant from diseases. However, there has been an ongoing public concern in relation to regulation, environmental impact, food safety and research methods undertaken in the discussion on genetically modified plants and their use in the medical profession. Many researchers have focused on the negative aspects of genetically modified plants in the medical profession but this development will look at the advantages of genetically modified plants in the medical profession.

The advantages of genetically modified plants

Among the most promising uses of genetically modified plants has been eyed in the future of the medicine profession. There are so many advances that have been performed in the genetic modification arena that might allow researchers to develop a wide variety of medicines that will be able to cure numerous diseases that present medications might not be able to. At the same time, there are so many ways in which genetic modification could be applied in the implementation of new medicines for future generations.

Production of healing proteins

A major advantage of genetic modified plants in the medical profession lies under the production of some human healing proteins that could be used to treat a wide range of diseases (Domingo & Bordonaba 2011). The present techniques of producing these valuable human proteins are made possible from cell cultures and can be very expensive. The process of human protein extraction used presently can also be made possible from blood purification but the process is full of risks because of the high exposure to contamination of deadly diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis C. With generic modification, human proteins could also be manufactured from milk of transgenic animals like cattle, sheep and goats. In this manner, human protein production can occur in fewer costs and high volumes which would be beneficial to the medical profession (Leader, Baca & Golan 2008).

Production of Nutriceuticals

Genetic medication of plants can as well be used in the production of the so-called nutriceuticals. Through this process of genetic modification, milk collected from genetically modified animals can be used to produce drugs of high level nutritional qualities. Such drugs can be used by special customers who have weak immune responses to ordinary milk and lactose intolerance.

Organ Transplant

Another way in which genetic modification of plants can be used in the field of medicine lies in the concern of organ transplant. It is a well-known fact in the present that organ transplants cannot be found easily due to the scarcity in the supply of organs (Krimsky 2015). Organs such as the heart and the kidney cannot be easily found yet their demand for these organs is high. With the assistance from generic modification, the high demand for organ transplants could be met. Because of the short fall of human organs needed for transplant, genetic modification can use plant and animal cells to come up with vital supply with reference to organ transplant. For instance, the use of transgenic pigs to increase organ supply in human transplant has helped increase the flow of organs in the medical field. These pigs can be modified genetically through the addition of specific human proteins that are able to coat animal tissues and inhibit an immediate rejection of organs transplanted into humans.

Neutralizing harmful viruses

Looking at the great medical opportunity hidden in the tobacco plant, medical experts have developed genetically modified tobacco that has revealed an incredible future for the medical profession. The scientists who performed the lifesaving experiment from tobacco discovered how the results from genetically modified tobacco can help save lives of Ebola infected patients from West Africa (Huff 2015). In this research, scientists inserted the Ebola proteins into the tobacco plant. They later infected the tobacco plant with the virus that was expected to trigger an immune response. Tobacco plants started pumping out antibodies and proteins that neutralize and grab harmful viruses and bacteria that medical practitioners later collected to cure other patients who were suffering from Ebola. The future of the medical profession is bright with particular mention of genetically modified plants and animals.

Conclusion

In as much as the future of genetic modification in medicine could be bright, there could be concerns that overshadow the development of genetically modified medicines. As a matter of fact, there are ethical questions that have been raised with concern of genetic modification practice in agriculture and these concerns are fast approaching the medical profession. As ethical concerns still need answers that provide re assurance to the public, it is evident that genetic modification of animals and plants is uplifting the quality of life for humans and this sounds safe and well enough to grow the medical profession further.