Final answer:
A potential ethical issue in biotechnology is the control over personal genetic information and the implications of patenting genetically modified organisms. Other considerations include the safety of genetically modified foods, the environmental impact of engineered crops, and the ethical ramifications of human genetic modification, especially germline alterations that affect future generations and biodiversity.
Step-by-step explanation:
A potential ethical issue resulting from the use of biotechnology is the concern regarding who controls a person's genetic information. There are pressing questions about the ownership of this information and the safeguards in place to protect individual privacy. Additionally, considerations about whether genetically modified organisms should be patented and the implications of such patents on biodiversity highlight the complex intersection of ethics, legality, and biology in biotechnology. The debate is not limited to these questions, as others arise about the safety of genetically modified foods and the potential environmental impact of genetically engineered crops. Moreover, bioethicists grapple with the consequences of human genetic modification, such as manipulating germline cells that result in inheritable genetic changes, which may affect future generations and biodiversity.
At the heart of these issues are fundamental concerns about the long-term effects of biotechnology practices, the possibility of new forms of discrimination arising from human augmentation via genetic engineering, and the balance between eradicating diseases and disrupting natural ecosystems. These challenges require a careful assessment of potential benefits and harms, as well as a consideration of privacy and consent. In the context of utilitarianism, the ethical dimensions become even more complex as the actions taken must promote the greatest good for the greatest number.