Genetic Screening and Ethics - Essay Example

Kelsey Davan Maryanne Hoffmann October 7th, Is it ethical to conduct genetic screening on fetuses? Devore, David. “Genetic Screening and Ethics an Overview.” Woodrow Wilson Biology Institution. 1992. Web. http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/bi/1992/gen_screen1.html Sagredo, Boris. “Genetic Screening, the Social Impact of Genetic Knowledge.” North Dakota State University. 2009. Web. http://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~mcclean/plsc431/students/boris.htm US Department of Energy Genome Program. “Gene Testing.” Human Genome Program. 2010. Web. http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/medicine/genetest.shtml The article “Genetic Screening and the Ethics, an Overview” by David Devore begins by explaining the complicated techniques of genetic screening, including the most widely used technique of RLFP, restriction-length fragment polymorphism. These techniques have advanced so that it is possible to transfer fetuses to other mothers, to identify genes on chromosomes, and even to determine mutations in specific genes that can lead to disorders both early and later in life. Devore raises questions as to whether it is ethical to screen fetuses for diseases both early on and diseases that will not arise until later in life. He goes on to explain that there are possibilities for a wrongful diagnosis that then poses the question what do the parents do with the information? Is it ethical for a parent to make the decision for their child’s life when a mutation in a gene does not necessarily prove they will contract the disease? David Devore was a participant in the Woodrow Wilson Biology Institute where he conducted much research on the topic in this article. He has extensive knowledge in genetics and has provided a lot of detailed information from many other sources. Devore believes genetic screening for diseases such as Lesch-Nyhan syndrome which causes mental retardation after the first few days of life is necessary and beneficial to both the parents and the offspring but that screening for diseases like alcoholism or Alzheimer’s is not beneficial and may be detrimental to the child’s life. Even though a child may possess the gene responsible for the disease does not mean they will contract it. Therefore Devore believes genetic counseling should also be available after the results are received. I chose this source because it not only describes the techniques of genetic screening but also the positives and negatives of screening for different diseases and the consequences of both choices. It provides rich information on my argument as to whether it is ethical to conduct these tests and the consequences of the parents’ decisions based on that information. I found this source on the internet in another institution publication. The only thing missing are first-hand accounts from individuals. The article “Genetic Screening, the Social Impact of Genetic Knowledge” by Boris Sagredo describes the process of genetic screening and the use of assays to compare individuals in a population to determine a difference in the genes. Although genetic screening can predict a possibly contraction of a disorder based on the link of a gene to the disorder, this is not completely possible. There are environmental factors that also play a role in the diseases. If a mutated gene is discovered in a fetus, it is likely that the fetus will be aborted and thus cause controversy against the choice of letting the child live even though it is possible to have an ailment or get rid of the child and not let it suffer. It is also possible that this information could become available to insurance companies and businesses who will not support the individual both early on in life and later. Sagredo also mentions the benefits of knowledge and links between genes and diseases that is now becoming a routine procedure. Boris Sagredo is a student at North Dakota State University and has had many classes on the subject of the essay. Although he is not a geneticist, the information obtained in the essay is from credited sources by geneticists as well as other scientists and sociologists. This essay contains rich information on both the idea that science is knowledge and with that comes advances as well as an ethical argument against abortion after the knowledge of genetic mutations and discrimination is known. I chose this source because it provided knowledge about what genetic screening is and the differences between the diagnosis of a genetic disorder and the contraction of a disorder. It also focuses on social implications of these results and the debates as to whether to let the child live. I am focusing on this information and the implications it has for the life of the parents and the life of the child. This article also does not have first hand accounts that could strengthen the argument. This is a well accepted essay and has been given great reviews. It has sources from accredited geneticists and scientists that strengthen the ideas in the paper. “Gene Testing” by the US Department of Energy Genome Program discusses Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) as an alternative to allowing the fetus to grow before testing for a disorder and then considering abortion. PGD screens the embryo before implantation in in vitro fertilization allowing the geneticist to choose only embryos that do not have a mutation to be implanted. The article goes on to discuss the advancements genetic screening has provided for both treatment of disorders found as well as information on what can lead to the disorder and links in the genetic material. The debate remains as to whether it is ethical to screen for disorders that are a possibility not an actuality.The information inspires more questions as to what to do with the information and if the child should even be born or if the parents should choose to abort the fetus. Also, there is no regulations on genetic testing in the United States so information could become available to anyone. This organization has had extensive research in the field of genetic studies and is very accredited in the science community. There are many accounts from good sources on techniques, accounts of the information, and implications of that information. I chose this article because not only is it a very accredited site but it also provides many links to important information on genetic screening. It is the first encounter of PGD and alternative genetic screening that does not endanger the life of a fetus. There is not one side of the argument the organization chooses but they do provide information on both sides of the argument. I am focusing on the information about screening of fetuses and how it can occur because there are no regulations on the tests or the information found. It also provides examples of cases that have chosen one side or the other. This is a very original and interesting topic. I think this assignment will be a big success. Congratulations. Read More