Cracking Your Genetic Code: A Review of Genetic Testing In Gattaca, the plot focuses on the ethics, the risks, and the emotional impact of genetic testing in the nearby future. The film was released in the 90s; yet in the present, the film does not give the impression of science fiction. Today, genetic testing is prevalent in many aspects of the scientific community. This paper will describe genetic testing, its purpose, diagnostic techniques that use genetic testing, relating Huntington’s disease to genetic testing, and the pros and cons of genetic testing. Genetic testing Description of genetic testing By using identified gene mutations that are known to cause diseases, asymptomatic individuals are able to discover if they are at risk for specific genetic conditions; this is known as genetic testing. Unfortunately, genetic testing can vary in its predictive ability. For example, Huntington disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Fragile X syndrome and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 are conditions that can be determined by genetic testing (Samen, 1996). In contrast, for multifaceted diseases like Alzheimer’s, breast and ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer, predisposition can be determined with genetic testing. However, an absolute diagnosis of those diseases cannot be made (Heshka et al., 2008). Examples of genetic testing in “Cracking Your Genetic Code” In the film, two contrasting examples of genetic testing are shown. The first example is of the twins Noah and Alexis Beery, who are stricken with a rare disease that mimics cerebral palsy. Through genetic testing, doctors discovered that the twins could be treated with dopamine. By sequencing their entire genome, the twin’s lives were saved. The second example is Andrew S... ... middle of paper ... ...10.1097/GIM.0b013e31815f524f Holt, S. (Director) (2012). Cracking your genetic code [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/cracking-your-genetic-code.html Samen, F. (1996). Human genetic testing. North Dakota State University , Retrieved from http://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~mcclean/plsc431/students/firas.htm Teutch, S., & Tuckson, R. Department of Health & Human Services, (2008). U.S. system of oversight of genetic testing: A response to the charge of the secretary of health and human services. Retrieved from website: http://osp.od.nih.gov/sites/default/files/SACGHS_oversight_report.pdf Walker, F. (2007). Huntington’s disease. The Lancet. 369, 218-228. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60111-1 What are the risks and limitations of genetic testing?. (2014, April 21). Genetics Home Reference, Retrieved from http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/testing/riskslimitations
The video, “Cracking the Genetic Code,” brought for forth some great interest in knowing that the medical field and technology has advanced so much that we can know our own genetic code and if we will or develop a certain disease. But aside from the interest, the video also brought forth some heartbreaking moments for the patients in the video that have had their lives turned around due to medical illness. For example, Megan Sullivan, who was a fully functional young woman and started showing symptoms of Huntington’s disease during her college years, which reduced her functioning to where she can barely even speak for the interview. It’s hard seeing somebody that young go through those huge obstacles, or in the case of Catherine Ellton, who, in a way, was forced to speed up her life in a
There are many types of genetic tests that are administered to the adult population. The more commonly used genetic tests are paternity tests, genealogical tests, and forensic testing. They are quite self-explanatory; paternity tests are to determine relatedness of 2 subjects, genealogical tests are used to formulate a heritage or ancestry, and forensic testing is used to identify or rule out a person that has been charged with a crime. Other genetic tests include presymptomatic testing, used to determine the risk someone has to developing a genetic disorder, diagnostic screening, used to rule out or identify a suspected condition, and carrier screening, used to determine if an individual carries one copy of a gene mutati...
Testing of one kind or another has always been very common in the job application process, whether it’s the testing of one’s skill sets through an application or drug testing. Now, through scientific advances of the Human Genome Project, a new type of testing has become available to employers: genetic testing. This new sort of testing would detect any genetic problems in a potential employee’s DNA, including genetic predisposition for disease and possible health concerns in the future. Genetic testing could be beneficial to companies monetarily, as it would be a way to screen their employees for long term, damaging factors which could be expensive for the company. The legal right to do so, however, is a controversial issue in the business world. Many people regard it as an invasion of privacy, an open invitation for bias in hiring pools, and a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (French). Genetic testing could be used in both the hiring process, and as an attempt for companies to cater to their employees’ needs. It could also, however, be used as a tool of discrimination against those with minor or major genetic abnormalities. Many ethical issues are raised: does a person have a right to anonymity in their DNA? Should employers discriminate against those with genetic problems, a factor out of the subject’s control? These disputes and more are what make genetic testing in the workplace a contentious topic today. Unless an act, such as the Genetic Nondiscrimination in Health Insurance and Employment Act, is passed, discrimination will run rampant through the job market, injuring the modern employee in the process. Despite the quantity of information about employees that could be retriev...
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 addressed: When should genetic testing be used? And who should have access to the results of genetic tests? As I intend to show, genetic tests should only be used for treatable diseases, and individuals should have the freedom to decide who has access to their test results.
Genetic screening is a process created in the 1990s, which allowed anyone to have his or her genome mapped out and carefully studied for signs of hereditary diseases and cancer. Typically, it is used to detect only recessive or heterozygote diseases such as Tay Sachs Disease and Cystic Fibrosis, and today is applied to predisposition testing for multifactorial diseases of larger populations (Chadwick, 1). Most commonly, the DNA is taken from blood samples or a mouth swab and is then sent to a lab which takes apart the person’s genetic information and records it letter for letter. Today, five diffe...
“The highest rated science program on TV called NOVA made a documentary surrounding genomic testing called, Cracking Your Genetic Code (NOVA, 2008).” This documentary demonstrated and described different techniques of what is genetic testing, how genetic testing is performed, and all the individuals whom benefit from these special DNA techniques. What is DNA? “DNA is material that governs inheritance of eye color, hair color and many other human and animal traits (Riley, 2005).” DNA is developed from the pairing of genes from a female and male gametes (Health & Prenancy, 2012). These gametes fuse together during mitosis and meiosis, getting 23 chromosomes from each parent, in order, to develop an embryo. In this embryo is DNA. DNA is made of 4 different amino acids, in which, are the building blocks for DNA and they are A, T, G, & C. These building blocks have base pairing in a series of sequences and this sequence is what makes up genes. Genes are codes that can read in this sequence to determine what kind of traits offspring is going to have. Through genes DNA testing can be perform to find mistakes. In this documentary, many different genetic testing were performed and some may agree that this can be very controversy because some people will rather not know certain things unless there are signs or symptoms. However, others find this DNA testing as an advantage and knowing this information can prepare them for the “what if” factor. In my research, I will be discussing what genetic testing is, what it provides, what the benefits are, the risks, and what companies provide genomic testing.
In today’s world, people are learning a great deal in the rapidly growing and developing fields of science and technology. Almost each day, an individual can see or hear about new discoveries and advances in these fields of study. One science that is rapidly progressing is genetic testing; a valuable science that promotes prevention efforts for genetically susceptible people and provides new strategies for disease management. Unnaturally, and morally wrong, genetic testing is a controversial science that manipulates human ethics. Although genetic testing has enormous advantages, the uncertainties of genetic testing will depreciate our quality of life, and thereby result in psychological burden, discrimination, and abortion.
The term “genetic testing” covers an array of techniques and can be defined as the analysis of human DNA, RNA, genes and/or chromosomes or the analysis of human proteins or certain metabolites, with the primary purpose of detecting a heritable genotype, mutation, phenotype or karyotype . Genetic tests are used as a health tool to detect gene variants associated with specific disease or condition, as well as for non-clinical uses such as paternity testing and forensics. In clinical testing, genetic tests can be performed to determine the genetic cause of a disease, confirm a suspected diagnosis, predict future illness, detect when an individual might pass a genetic mutation to his or her children, and predict response to therapy. They are also performed to screen new born, foetuses or embryos used in in-vitro fertilisation for genetic defects.
Although genetic testing can benefit society in numerous ways, such as the diagnosis of vulnerabilities to inherited diseases and ancestry verification, it also has the precarious capability to become a tool in selecting a more favorable genetic makeup of an individuals and ultimately cloning humans. Genetic testing will depreciate our quality of life and may result in discrimination, invasion of privacy, and harmful gene therapy.
After reading the articles “ Why we should think twice about giving genetics tests to our kids.” and “Genetic testing for kids : is it a good idea? Studies show that when a parent makes the decision for the kid without their consent , and the test shows that they have an incurable diseases. Kids go through life worrying about it . Kids also should be able to at least make one decision on their own without a parent making them do something they don’t want to do.
This informative essay suggests what genetic screening is through the use of examples and rhetorical questions, offering a unique perspective when comparing it to various articles. While it does not include specific facts
Genetic testing, also known as screening, is a rapidly advancing new scientific field that can potentially revolutionize not only the world of medicine, but many aspects of our lives. Genetic screening is the sequencing of human DNA in order to discover genetic differences, anomalies, or mutations that may prove pathological. As genetic screening becomes more advanced and easily accessible, it presents society with difficult questions that must be asked about the boundaries of science and to what degree we are allowed to tamper with the human genome. To better understand the potential impact of genetic screening on our society, we must examine the potential benefits in comparison to the possible negative impact it may cause. With this knowledge in hand, we can examine what the future holds for this field of study and the best possible direction to take.
Genetic testing by employers is where DNA, proteins and any other chromosomes are detected for any mutations. The aim in this is to find any forms of cancer, sickle cell or other diseases. When it comes to being employed, it helps to forecast any illnesses that is followed by the temptation for employers to decide whether hiring is worth it based on the information from the testing. The test provides only a little amount of information about the condition the person being employed has inherited. It can not provide information about whether or not the person will show symptoms or whether it will affect the job. “Genetic mutations can have harmful, beneficial, neutral (no effect), or uncertain effects on health. Mutations that are harmful may increase a person's chance, or risk, of developing a disease such as cancer. Overall, inherited mutations are thought to play a role in about 5 to 10 percent of all cancers.”(8) Throughout my essay i will state the implications of Genetic testing in the workplace, the different viewpoints on genetic testing (both for and against, my personal opinion of the topic and strategies that could work in various forms.
Genetic testing negatively affects millions of lives. For example, negative test results may trigger awful emotions. To tell the truth testing may cost too much for the average person. Additionally, these screenings are not full body reviews. However, considering these genetic test affects, these should be prohibited by agencies offering the tests for everyone’s life.
Genetic testing has become very popular as technology has improved, and has opened many doors in the scientific community. Genetic testing first started in 1866 by a scientist known as, Gregor Mendel, when he published his work on pea plants. The rest was history after his eyes opening experiments on pea plants. However, like any other scientific discovery, it bought conflicts which caused major controversies and a large population disagreed with the concept of playing with the genetic codes of human beings. Playing God was the main argument that people argument that people had against genetics. genetic testing became one of the major conflicts conflicts to talk about, due to the fact that parents could now have the option of deciding if they