The Ethics Of Genetic Testing - 1294 Words

Genetic testing is a relatively new and rapidly emerging field. Even though this science was seen as controversial, genetic testing has been going on for conditions such as phenylketonuria and sickle cell disease for years. The increase in genetic testing has resulted in the convergence of public health, morals and ethics. Many ethics related issues arise with genetic testing, as well of fear that insurance companies will not reimburse such services. Many moral and ethical obligations appear with genetic testing. For instance, the decision to inform relatives of a patient with test results, whether positive or negative is highly controversial. The decision to inform or not varies, and is based on different moral theories. Genetic testing comprises of three forms. They are diagnostic, carrier, and predictive testing. Diagnostic testing involves identifying the state of a current disease. An example of this is prenatal and newborn screening, which is the most common form of genetic testing. Carrier testing is done to determine if a patient is a carrier of a certain genetic trait. Each individual’s genetic traits are comprised of two chromosomes, one inherited from the father and one from the mother. A genetic disorder is either dominant or recessive. When a person has one abnormal chromosome, this is considered dominant. If a genetic disorder is recessive, the disease characteristics are present when the individual has two abnormal chromosomes. Additionally, X-linkedShow MoreRelated The Ethics of Genetic Testing Essay3518 Words   |  15 PagesThe Ethics of Genetic Testing 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. 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The pro testing side argues it improves the lives of human population, reduces disease, creates new medications and gives a better understanding of humans. The other side argues about the ethics of p racticing the testing of genes, privacyRead MorePrenatal Genetic Testing Should Be Allowed1569 Words   |  7 Pagesinnovative genetic testing and manipulation. Prenatal genetic testing is becoming more readily available to expectant parents, many who currently appreciate the option of amniocentesis, a procedure performed in the second trimester to test for Down syndrome, among other prenatal tests (Lippman 383). However, technology has advanced to the point where doctors will be able to test fetuses and embryos for potential defects, and this point of contention has led to a debate on whether prenatal genetic testing