Ryan VuEPO (Draft)Lance Armstrong is one of the most recognized athletes of the 20th century. He is well known for his seven Tour de France victories. It is one of the most famous and rigorous cycling competitions due to its length, which exceeds 1,000 miles. It is a huge feat to win a single Tour de France, but this feat has never been repeated. As he rode triumphantly in his yellow jersey drinking champagne through Paris, he was glorified for his exploits. Many people idolized him because it was an unimaginable feat. Despite his denial, rumors circulated that he used performance-enhancing drugs. After years of claiming innocence, he finally admitted to doping. One of the drugs he used was EPO. Many people were unaware of the drug until Lance Armstrong admitted to using it. The substance caused his body to produce more red blood cells, increasing his oxygen-carrying capacity and greatly increasing his endurance. However, EPO has proven to be very useful for sick patients in need of red blood cells. Despite the abuse of EPO by athletes, it can also help patients with various diseases, and therefore the benefits outweigh the risks. Genetic engineering is defined as the direct manipulation of genes for practical purposes (citation). It involves modifying the genome of an organism using biotechnology (quote). An example of genetic engineering is recombinant DNA technology, which uses DNA from two different sources (citation). This means you can insert DNA from one species into another to make useful proteins. This technology can be used to develop useful human proteins. Some proteins made using recombinant DNA technology are insulin, HGH, Ce...... middle of paper ......injection cannot be distinguished from l Natural EPO produced in the body. Additionally, any EPO would be undetectable in urine after 3 to 4 days. Cyclists use just enough to make it undetectable, or use saline to thin their blood. In conclusion, the use of genetic engineering is very useful because it can produce many products that can benefit us in many ways. Examples include genetically modified crops that last longer and are more nutritious, as well as medicines that can be mass produced. Using recombinant DNA technology, EPO was mass produced in hamster ovary cells, which helps patients suffering from anemia due to IBD and chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Even though athletes, like Lance Armstrong, abuse it to cheat, the benefits of helping millions of people far outweigh the harms and should continue to be produced..