Since the first DNA sequencing took place in 1970, the popularity of this process has grown significantly. Now, for just one thousand dollars, you can get your whole genome sequenced and analyzed in a relatively short amount of time. The widespread availability of genetic sequencing has stirred interest in people who want to know their genetic background and where they came from exactly. This widespread interest has also conjured an argument of whether gene sequencing carries too many consequences behind it to be a positive learning opportunity for the individuals who choose to learn about their ancestry. There are many different methods of approaching this issue, but genetic sequencing does carry negative and positive outcomes. In this essay, …show more content…
People on this earth with authority chose to base on their “knowledge” of genetics to overtly destroy the fundamentals of science. If you choose to ignore scientific facts and create skewed remarks towards race and ancestry, you are conducting yourself in an ignorant manner. Cavalli-Sforza from the United Nations stated that “ignorance can breed fear and hate, but...it is most dangerous when mixed with science haters” who have a political agenda (Invisible History 236). As a society, revealing an individual’s ancestry can change the ignorance of this world. It is by human nature that we fear what we don’t understand. If we take time to learn about our ancestral background, we might be less ignorant towards the value of other individuals as equal human beings. We cannot simply solve the biggest crime of mankind (racism) by lucidly saying “we are all equal.” Demonstration of this equality is necessary, and science is responsible for completing this mission. The biggest fear of ancestral genetic testing is not about finding out about harmful cells that are in your DNA, but it is that of creating a realm of reality about how similar we are which many people might not able to absorb or fundamentally
The PBS documentary “Nova – Cracking Your Genetic Code” tells about the genome sequencing technology: its current possibilities, advantages, disadvantages and future potential. The system became cheaper, faster and more available since the first human genome was fully sequenced in 2000. Modern companies use the technology to provide clients with the information about their genes and impacts they can have on owners’ health. Hospitals can provide more accurate diagnosis and personalized treatments with the aid of the genome sequencing. The video shows several examples of these benefits. But it mentions concerns about the quality of services, risks of exaggerated
The public should be aware of what could happen if this kind of information became public knowledge, and of the opportunities that the knowledge brings. There is no doubt that the information from genetic analysis is going to help a lot of people with all sorts of problems live longer and healthier lives. The only problem is that we have to keep the information in the hands of those who need it, and out of the hands of those who would use the information to profit or discriminate.
The more we know about genetics and the building blocks of life the closer we get to being capable of cloning a human. The study of chromosomes and DNA strains has been going on for years. In 1990, the Unites States Government founded the Human Genome Project (HGP). This program was to research and study the estimated 80,000 human genes and determine the sequences of 3 billion DNA molecules. Knowing and being able to examine each sequence could change how humans respond to diseases, viruses, and toxins common to everyday life. With the technology of today the HGP expects to have a blueprint of all human DNA sequences by the spring of 2000. This accomplishment, even though not cloning, presents other new issues for individuals and society. For this reason the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) was brought in to identify and address these issues. They operate to secure the individuals rights to those who contribute DNA samples for studies. The ELSI, being the biggest bioethics program, has to decide on important factors when an individual’s personal DNA is calculated. Such factors would include; who would have access to the information, who controls and protects the information and when to use it? Along with these concerns, the ESLI tries to prepare for the estimated impacts that genetic advances could be responsible for in the near future. The availability of such information is becoming to broad and one needs to be concerned where society is going with it.
In the course of this essay I shall be looking at the role of the
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.
“Since the human genome has been mapped, debates within the scientific community about race have intensified. When you look at the human genome, you cannot find race…” (Freeman). Biological evidence suggests there are genetic codes for everything from eye and hair color to how tall someone will grow. Those genetic codes are based on inheritance and where family history has brought them. According to scientists there are no genetic codes that group humans into specific racial categories. According to the Department of Epidemiology and public health, “There is more genetic variation within than between races, and the genes responsible for morphological features such as skin color (which are the basis of racial groupings) are few.” (Senor, 327). It has been seen in numerous studies that genetically someone who identifies with the African- American race, has the potential to carry the same genetic markers as someone of the Caucasian race, or any other racial grouping. If race is not verifiable by scientific or biological means, then it’s origin must be from another
The genetic technology revolution has proved to be both a blessing and a blight. The Human Genome Project is aimed at mapping and sequencing the entire human genome. DNA chips are loaded with information about human genes. The chip reveals specific information about the individuals’ health and genetic makeup (Richmond & Germov 2009).The technology has been described as a milestone by many in that it facilitates research, screening, and treatment of genetic conditions. However, there have been fears that the technology permits a reduction in privacy when the information is disclosed. Many argue that genetic information can also be used unfairly to discriminate against or stigmatize individuals (Willis 2009).
In the past 40 years, scientists have developed and applied genetic engineering to alter the genetic make-up of organisms by manipulating their DNA. Scientists can use restriction enzymes to slice up a piece of DNA from an organism with the characteristics they want and spliced (joint) to a DNA from another organism. DNA that contains pieces from different species is called recombinant DNA, and it now has different genetic material from its original. When this DNA inserted back into the organism, it changes the organism’s trait. This technique is known as gene-splicing (Farndon 19).
Genetic testing has been a very controversial topic. While some people believe that genetic testing is completely right in any situation, others believe that it is completely wrong in any situation. However, both sides prove valid points of why genetic testing is both right and wrong. Genetic testing can be very good when it is being used for helpful reasons. However, genetic testing can also be very bad when it is used for the wrong reasons. Genetic testing is okay to do as long as it is being done for the right reasons and following good moral guidelines.
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 Engineering has recently become a contentious topic within medical and social circles. Controversial topics such as Sex Selection and Designer Babies are linked to Genetic engineering. They are destructive in every circumstance. Genetic Engineering is detrimental towards the individual and all posterity.
Assessing the consequences of the information that the Human Genome Project may yield must be taken into consideration; the medical benefits must be weighed on a balanced scale with the ethical and moral ramifications to properly size up what we will do in the future. Residents of the Rio Grande Valley must be prepared to deal with the positive and negative aspects of this modern revolution that we call genetics.
Murphy, Samantha. "Genetic Tests Debate: Is Too Much Info Bad for Your Health?"LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 19 Dec. 2010. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
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.
Most of the opinions in the genetic testing seminar were on the positive side, choosing that it should be used more often. The generic testing can help better prepare people for what they can pass down if they choose to have children. For example, if someone has the high risk of diabetes running in their family their most likely to have it passed down to their children and even getting it themselves. I think the majority of people want to know what their genes carry, because it can have a huge impact on their life. Technological advances in genetic testing lend parents new insight about their children's risk factors for developing diseases later in life. The issue has been the subject of heated debate as parents grapple with the pros and cons of testing themselves and their children.