Last week in class, we discussed the issue of prenatal diagnosis and genetic testing. I view these methods themselves as very beneficial technologies that can make our lives easier. The bigger issue is what is done after these tests have been done. I think that being able to find out if your child has certain disorders such as Down Syndrome or Tay-Sachs can greatly help the family in having time to be able to prepare for the challenges that the disorder can bring. However, I do not believe that this is a case where abortion should be pursued if the child is found to have a genetic anomaly. This is mostly because I think that it would open doors for parents to be able to abort solely on the basis that the child is not exactly what they want. For example, if they wanted a certain gender or a more intelligent child. That reminds me of the books that we all read in high school about the utopias in which all embryos are genetically developed to be a certain way (Huxley's Brave New World ring a bell?) and it's kind of scary to think things could be heading that way.
As far is the possibility of genetically correcting the DNA when prenatal diagnosis happens, I am still not sure exactly where I stand on that. I think it could pose problems similar to those that arise by aborting genetically abnormal children such as the nonacceptance of having an abnormal child causing psychological distress to the parent or child. However, its not as severe as aborting so it has its positives, too. When I was thinking about it, I realized that if the child that was found to have a certain disorder was born and then we found a cure for it, it would be a no-brainer that we would want to give the child that cure, so why not correct it before the child is even born. Therefore, I find this to be a much better alternative to not taking the pregnancy to term due to a genetic abnormality.
I think the possibility of genetically correcting DNA for certain disorders would be a great option to have. I agree that if we found a cure for these disorders for after the child was people would think it is great. This process is more complicated since we don't always no exactly how genes work together with others and we may cure the disorder but cause something else. But, if we find the ability to just cure it would be a great option. This does have the "slippery slope" idea to it, but so many of these new technologies are going to have this as well.
ReplyDeleteI think prenatal testing when used as you describ, as a measure to ensure readiness rather than to decide if you will abort the child, is a great thing. However, this is another area where I firmly believe that policy needs to come first and be very firm. It would be cruel to allow the information from genetic testing to someday be able to tell if someone is predisposed to potential develop some sort of late-onset disease and is therefore told that they are not allowed to have children and pass that gene on, or worse forced to have surgery that would makes them infertile?
ReplyDeleteI agree that parents should not be allowed to abort a child because that child isn't what they expected in some way. I also agree that selecting an embryo for implantation should not be based on all traits, but that they parents should only be allowed to select an embryo based on a specific disorder or risk for disease.
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