Genetic Testing : The World 's Best Traits

   The Human Genome Project is the largest scientific endeavor undertaken since the Manhattan Project, and, as with the Manhattan Project, the completion of the Human Genome Project has brought to surface many moral and ethical issues concerning the use of the knowledge gained from the project. Although genetic tests for certain diseases have been available for 15 years (Ridley, 1999), the completion of the Human Genome Project will certainly lead to an exponential increase in the number of genetic tests available. Therefore, before genetic testing becomes a routine part of a visit to a doctor's office, the two main questions at the heart of the controversy surrounding genetic testing must be

The view over genetic testing starts with establishing necessary definitions and discussing its purpose in our world. To start off, the human body is a complex multicellular system. Every cell in the body is comprised of the same DNA (with some exceptions), which stores our genes. These genes are the set of instructions that encode the proteins necessary to create and maintain the human body. The issue is that some genes can undergo a variety of mutations during development that cause an array of complications or disease. Gene therapy can modify the designated abnormal genes to reach normalcy, while genetic engineering focuses on enhancement and surpassing what is normal. However, the goal of genetic testing is to identify the abnormalities

Another big benefit of testing is the ability to know in advance the health of a baby. It is no longer necessary for parents to be to have to worry about the health of their child. The technology is there to know in advance. Some people have major health problems in their family. This testing could make it possible for them to give birth to healthy long living children. The whole point of prenatal genetic testing is to improve life through good health. There are enough things

As you can see genetic testing is very important and can affect a child's and parents lives for the better and the worst. Children all over the world have serious genetic diseases that affect their life on a daily. Some of these diseases are Achondroplasia, Down syndrome, and Turner's syndrome. Many believe genetic testing is a good way to test for these genetic conditions before the child is even born, but others think that it can harm the baby very badly and even cause a miscarriage, so they choose not to do this kind of testing. Knowing about the most serious genetic diseases is very important for expecting parents to be informed as well as being

Genetic testing is when tests are done on the blood and other tissue to find genetic disorders in an individual. It is used as a healthcare tool to detect gene variants associated to a certain disease or disorder, and is used non-clinically for paternity testing and forensics. There are many different methods of testing, usually done with a blood sample. Other methods include diagnostic testing, carrier testing, prenatal testing, pre-implantation genetic testing, newborn screening, pharmacogentic testing, and a few others.

Genetic testing identifies changes in ones genes and chromosomes. These changes often lead to diagnoses of conditions, disorders, or diseases. Through testing, “one can confirm or rule out a suspected genetic condition or help determine a person’s chance of developing or

Genetic testing, can affect a person’s life in many ways. Genetic testing is a type of medical testing that identifies changes that occur in chromosomes, proteins, and genes. These changes that occur can be associated, and often are associated with inherited

Genetic testing is a medical test of one’s DNA that identifies changes in chromosomes, genes, or proteins. The results of a genetic test can confirm or rule out a suspected genetic condition which can help determine an individual's chance of developing or passing on a genetic disorder. In addition, knowing one’s genetic code can help individuals improve their wellness, prevent the onset of diseases they are at risk for, or lessen the harmfulness of diseases they do contract. NOVA’s documentary on PBS, “Cracking Your Genetic Code” demonstrates what exactly genetic testing is, how genetic testing is performed, and in addition the film showed stories about some individuals that have benefited from these special DNA techniques. The film plot focuses

There are many questions that would arise, for example, who would have the rights to the genetic information? There are no uniform standards for genetic testing from state to state. Nor are there strict policies protecting the vulnerable. The current standard is GENA, Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, but it is severely lacking. While GENA protects against employers and health insurance companies requesting genetic test results, it does not cover mortgage lending, housing or schools, life or disability insurance. (U.S Department of Human Services). Before considering mandating genetic testing there should be clear and concise policies in place.

The Goal of the Human Genome Project is to obtain genetic mapping information and to determine the complete sequence of all human DNA by the year of 2005. The project started in 1990 and 180 million dollars are being spent on it annually. This adds up to a total of over 2 billion dollars for the 15 year budget. Of this 2 billion dollars budgeted, 5% is spent annually on the ethical, legal and social issues. This report focused on some of these issues.

Although the gene chip will enable an individual to know whether he/she has a genetic disease, that person may not want to know the information. Many people are frightened that a positive finding on a genetic test will result in discrimination and ostracism because the society will consider them abnormal (Easthope 2005). The other concern is that with genetic test information one might lose or might be unable to get a job or insurance. There have been concerns that with the knowledge of one’s medical information after a gene test, he/she might suffer a psychological problem especially when the results reveal that one suffers from a terminal disease or has high possibility of suffering from one (Willis 2009).

In the video, Personal DNA Testing, Neil Tyson states “knowing our genetic risk for disease will actually lead us to longer, healthier lives” (Tyson). However, there are various negative and positive factors of genetic testing that make it questionable. For example, individuals that are aware of hereditary diseases should consider this type of tool, so they can prevent it. On the other hand, people do not know if the results will be accurate because error is possible. It is important to research this type of test before requesting approval.

According to Business Insider Science Edition, “By taking a look at the DNA of a prospective parent together with that of a potential sperm or egg, they can predict, with what they claim is 99% sensitivity, the risk of having a baby with a rare genetic disease.” (Lewis, 2015) With this information parents can then go to make the proper decision on whether or not they are prepared to handle a child with such diseases, or if they should even have a child in the first place. Another quote from the article that shows how gene testing parents is helpful for the children is as following ,”Now, the company has developed a test that it claims can detect about 500 genetic disorders caused by tweaks in a single gene, such as cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, and Bloom syndrome.”(Lewis,

genetic testing, everything has changed. She notes that clinicians now have the ability to diagnose, treat, and monitor a patient’s illnesses or disease progression in an entirely different manner. This is a far cry from the old medical model of responding to a disease (or defect) only after it appears, and then prescribing the recommended medication or intervention. These genetic medical advances sound miraculous and promising, but the ability to test, screen and provide early intervention does not come without many major ethical dilemmas.

Genetic screening is a process to analyze blood or skin for the systematic search for persons with a particular genotype in a defined population. It also serves as an important tool of modern preventive medicine. Such screening has the potential to lessen the devastating impact of genetic disease. The purpose is to identify persons whose genotype places them or their offspring at risk [2]. The human race carries 3,000 - 4,000 diseases in its genes. The faulty gene that causes any