Ethical Issues Surrounding Genetic Screening and Genetic...

Ethical Issues Surrounding Genetic Screening and Genetic Engineering In today’s modern age science is moving at a rapid pace; one of those scientific fields that has taken the largest leaps is that of genetics. When genetics first comes to mind, many of us think of it as a type of science fiction, or a mystical dream. Yet genetics is here, it is real, and has numerous ethical implications. One of the particular areas of interest is prenatal genetics. In this field, many new and outstanding innovations have been made. A mother and father can now check for a large array of disorders that could occur in their child; sexual preference has now been shifted from the hands of a higher being to that of someone with a Ph.D.;†¦show more content†¦In this brave new field, there have been many steps and strides taken of which we could have never imagined. For instance, before a mother and father decided to carry out the process of having offspring, they can visit a genetic clinic to figure out if their child is likely to have certain illnesses. A list of such illnesses are: Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, dwarfism, breast cancer (susceptibility to), fragile X syndrome, Huntington’s Disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and various types of nervous system degeneration (Golden 51). These are only a few of the nearly 40 types of disorders that can be determined by genetic testing. It may be rather nice to know that a child does not have a genetic disease, but what does a couple do if the results of a genetic test are returned with negative results? Also, if the information from the test is ambiguous the couple might decide not to carry out the pregnancy due to risk. In a 1999 article written by Frederic Golden, he questions if the child should be brought into the world â€Å"†¦in hopes that a cruel disease can be managed or cured†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or if the fetus should be aborted. He also poses the question of insurance coverage. This might seem like a rather odd comment to make. Insurance is insurance isn’t it ? And for the most part we all have it. Yet this brings us into another issue about genetics, privacy. Our genetic code is consistent throughout our entire lives. It is who we are. Will insurance coverage be availableShow MoreRelatedThe Field Of Reproductive Technology1484 Words   |  6 PagesToday’s culture has a growing fascination with biotechnology and genetic engineering. This is especially true within the field of reproductive technology. 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