The Human Genome Project was completed within the last twenty years. DNA was discovered by Watson and Crick in 1953, which is only sixty-five years ago. Our culture is discovering new areas of genetics each day; genetic information is growing exponentially. Scientists learned from the Human Genome Project that there are “more than 1,800 disease genes” (NIH Research Timelines). Upon discovering this, many genetic tests have been made available to the general public. These tests can reveal details about family history and possible inherited diseases as well as predicting what diseases your offspring could receive. There has been controversy surrounding the role of medical professionals in the world of genetic testing. I think medical professionals should be required for genetic testing when they involve a person’s health and well-being. I believe it is essential for medical professionals to be involved when the testing being done could affect the person’s knowledge of their health. I have had genetic testing done to determine whether I had certain genes to help diagnose Celiac disease. However, I learned that genetic testing can only tell you so …show more content…
I do not believe that medical professionals should be required for this kind of testing because it does not involve the person’s well-being. Although it may be helpful to have advice regarding your family history, I do not believe that it is necessary to have a medical professional involved. If the genetic testing reveals an inherited disease passed down from other generations, I think medical professionals should deliver this news. There are many companies, such as 23andMe, that have customers independently send in their saliva and receive information about their ancestry. Customers should not have to go through a medical professional to receive this kind of information because it does not affect their personal health or
Paper 2 A person who owns a small portion of someone's genes may be the deciding factor on whether a person's illness is further researched or put on hold. Should a person be given this much power over our very genes inside us whose research could save lives and cure diseases? A physician, Michael Crichton, who wrote “Patenting Life” and a economist, John Calfee, who wrote “Decoding the Use of Gene Patents” both discuss this medicinal dilemma.
And although, these privacy protections did not cover genetic information, 12 years later congress passed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) to fill the gap. (Stump) The National Institute of Health’s (NIH) now requires strict ethical standards including informed consent from all researchers seeking funding. These are steps in the right direction but just like anyone working in the medical field would tell you, there is still more to be done to ensure complete patient privacy and informed consent is the norm in every branch within the medical community. Whereas it took many years for the medical community to acknowledge the violations and origin of Henrietta’s cells it reassuring to see the progress that has been made to stamp out bad ethical behaviors.
Copeland’s purpose to inform, as well as engage or entertain, is developed through the structure of the article. Specifically, the structure of Copeland’s article consists of a personal story and other examples, along with statistical data. Copeland wants her readers to understand how DNA testing can be an emotional process, having positive outcomes for many families and yet also causing potential burdens for
Through DNA testing we can now see which diseases we will likely pass down to our children. Although this ability can be life-saving in the aspect it can be used to prevent diseases in children, it also can affect the parents’ desires
It is never ethical for patients to be intimidated or forced into undergoing certain testing. I believe it is the patient’s decision whether to undergo genetic testing and be informed of the results. In my opinion, a lack of genetic counselors compromises the ethics of genetic testing as patients are more vulnerable to being pressured into doing tests or receiving results they never wished to receive. Therefore, I believe genetic testing is done in a more ethical way when genetic counselors are available as counselors operate by listening to patient requests, only providing information of testing he/she wishes to undergo, and only presenting and helping patients understand the requested results. Even the author of Proverbs 11:14 (English Standard Version) points out the ethical importance of counselors by declaring, “[w]here there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.”
“Genetic Testing and Secrets” In the article “Secrets of the Grave” it talks about how genetic testing can raise questions relating to the ethical way of getting genetic information and other questions relating to those they are testing. It can also lead to the use of and collection of questionable products such as jewelry with a famous persons DNA in it. This has lead policymakers to start to question the ethics of Biohistory, meaning whether a relative should be asked if genetic testing is ok or if the products being sold are appropriate. Scientist can use Biohistory which is the combination of biological testing and history.
For example, this would have not been able to occur without testing patients and finding certain similar alterations in different DNA samples. It is also how they discovered that seventeen genes lead to colon cancer (Weintraub Arlene). There are still many undiagnosed variations of genes out there, and genetic testing could help find more answers concerning
In this three-week long experiment conducted in the Bio 13 Lab, we were able to analyze a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in our own genomic DNA and then determine our genotype at this specific SNP. In week one, we extracted genomic DNA from our cheek cells with swabs and prepared our DNA for PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) that would amplify the region with the intended SNP of interest. After one week and after the PCR was run outside of the lab section, the resulting PCR product was purified and treated with restriction enzyme Ahdl in order to prepare for the final analysis of our genotypes. In the third and final week of the project, we analyzed our PCR products by means of agarose gel electrophoresis. By the conclusion of the experiment, we had completed the analysis at the SNP of interest and determined our genotypes for this SNP.
Letting insurance companies have access to these results gives them a better chance to determine the cost of one’s health insurance. Insurance companies have the right to differentiate premiums on the level of risk each applicant has (Morris, 2010). Having access to genetic testing allows them to be much more fair, as most of the time, insurance companies have to look at family history. This can be skewed, because your family members having a genetic disorder doesn’t automatically make you have it, even if most of your family members get it. This can cause someone who doesn’t have a genetic disorder having to pay more because their family has a history of a certain genetic disorder.
Another genetic testing that has ethical problems includes those people that are tested for predisposing diseases that either lead to later onset (in the case of adult patient) or adult onset (in the case of a child patient). This leads to many ethical issues such as whether or not the patient wants to know if he/she is at risk for a certain disorder. If they find out that they are at risk than they may become depressed and/or make better life decisions (about marriage and life). Others that find out that they are spared from having the disorder maybe relived however they maybe at guilt by seeing close relatives suffering from what could have possible than their
Science has enabled us to thrive in a world where change is a must if an organism wishes to live. It has allowed for us to bend and twist the world at our feet, even having enough strength to repel the touch of death. Genetic engineering is the next scientific advancement that will stand close in the near future. It has the capability of modifying the food production process, elimination of diseases and disorders, and the guarantation of the best traits in an organism.
Should or should we not prohibit genetically engineered babies is the question to ask. After years and year of trying to figure out the cure for a disease like a mitochondrial disease, a group of professional on the topic believes that it would greatly benefit the baby ’s outcome exceptionally if their parents has harmful genetics. Most people concern would be how the baby would turn out because there have not been any clinical trials that prove that the genetics that is engineered properly work like they should. I personally believe that the genetics of baby should not be engineered, but I do believe that it should be up to the parent of the children since it is their child in the first place.
One in every twenty people suffers from a genetic disorder or birth defect. Genetic testing is a test that is done to “either examine the function of a gene or determine the presence of a gene mutation” (Jones, 2011). More than 1,000 genetic tests are performed in laboratories. Genetic tests were done to diagnose a disease but now it can point out the risk of someone developing a disease, show the chances of a child inheriting the gene mutation, and indicate if medicine will lead to harm to the body (Jones, 2011). Most genetic tests are done for diagnosis at the early stage, so it could be treated in time, but other tests are done for preimplantation diagnosis, newborn screening, predictive genetic tests, genetic risk factor tests, personalized medicine, etc.
This is a true fact because medical fields they have DNA testing online, monitoring systems, scanning equipments that allows patients to spend shorter time in recovery, testing procedures to help prevent diagnose and cure diseases. For instance, “benefits of DNA testing include screening for genetic markers of future illness like cancer and Alzheimer 's Disease”(). Another example about the DNA is, “if the DNA pattern between mother, child, and the alleged father match on every DNA probe, the likelihood of paternity is 99.9 percent”(). In other words, technology is helpful because DNA testing online can be used to trace and identify ancestors, doctors can order this type of technology to check or screen potential the condition of a born baby, it is useful to know if a person has cancer or virus in their body, and parents can be aware if they are the biological parents of the child.
While there are many benefits of genetic testing, there are also a few drawbacks. Test results can cause tension between family members; because not only can the tests reveal something about the patient, they can reveal information about people related to the patient… particularly information that makes people uncomfortable