...Ethical Issues in Genetic Testing Source: Lea, D. H., Williams, J., & Donahue, M. P. (2005). Ethical issues in genetic testing. Journal of midwifery & Women’s health, 50(3), 234-240. 1. Introduction Since Watson and Crick describe the structure of DNA in 1953, recent advances of technology have provided genetists a powerful tool to better understand the role of human genome in human diseases (Watson & Crick, 1953). Consequently, genetic testing has been becoming popular in clinical settings to identify underlying risk for disease in individual and family members. However, the outburst of genetic tests have led to some ethical issues arising from the ability to identify disease-associated genes. This article gives an overview of ethical theories...
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...Running head: ANALYSIS OF ETHICAL DILEMMA Analysis of Ethical Dilemma Deanna Romain Grand Canyon University Ethical Decision Making in Health Care NRS 437V Jennifer Wood August 28, 2011 Analysis of Ethical Dilemma Is gender selection of a fetus ethical? With new advances in reproductive technology, parents can not only find out if their embryo has genetic abnormalities, they can also find out the gender of their embryo. The ethical dilemma is whether or not one should be able to choose their child’s gender before implantation. Some compare this method of gender selection to human cloning. Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is the testing of the chromosomes of the embryo to determine genetic abnormalities and gender prior to in-vitro fertilization (IVF). In the United States, gender selection by PGD is considered a violation of ethical practices for non-medical purposes (Akchurin, n.d.) CNN.com reported recently that a new blood test has been discovered which can determine the sex of a fetus as early as seven weeks gestation. This achievement was reported in the Journal of American Medical Association in August. This technology is already starting ethical debates fearing parents will use this technology for sex determination and abort healthy fetuses (Ravitsky, 2011). This new technology could also be beneficial in determining gender if their child is at risk for a sex-linked disease such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy or hemophilia. In China and India, there...
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...Genetic and Reproductive Sciences Abstract This paper is based on genetic and reproductive science and their benefits and limitations regarding individuals, families, and society. The paper covers the screening and treatment for diabetes and what methods are used to prevent it development. The paper also contains information regarding In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and its benefits for individuals and families. The use stems cells and its advantages and disadvantages are also mentioned. Analyze the benefits and limitations of genetic and reproductive sciences for individuals, families, and society. The benefit of genetic science for individuals is that it can determine if the person has a possible genetic disorder and give them a better chance at preventing the disorder from becoming active, monitor the disorder, or treat the disorder. For example, diabetes is a genetic disorder that can be discovered through genetic testing. Lifestyle changes such as exercising and lowering their body mass index (BMI) can prevent someone for developing diabetes, and the testing can monitor diabetes if a person develops it. Diabetes can also be treated by the use of insulin and dieting if monitored correctly. The limitation of genetic science for individuals is the emotional outcome of the test results. Some people may get upset and begin to feel guilty, depressed, or even become anxious once they receive their results (Cho, et al., 2012). The benefits of genetic science...
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...These cancers include, uterine, ovarian, urinary tract, breast, stomach, liver, kidney, small bowel, prostate, pancreatic and bile duct cancers. (Cancer.net , 2013) Before the genetic testing Jane already had a strong family history of colon cancer in her family. Her maternal grandmother, mother, and brother all have had colon cancer in the past. Once Jane and her mother completed genetic testing it was determined that they both contained the mutated gene MLHI that caused lynch syndrome. Each first-degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) of a person with Lynch syndrome has a 50% risk of carrying the gene mutation and should be offered genetic counseling and testing. (Lynch Syndrome Screening Network, 2012) With the information given we are able to determine which family members have a 50% chance of having the gene mutation responsible for Lynch syndrome. Jane and her...
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...Ethics of Genetic Testing during Pregnancy Professor: Date: Recent advancement in technology has enhanced genetic disorder screening by clinicians for women during pregnancy. Information obtained through screening is used to prevent the diseases that are caused by these genetic disorders (DJ Tester, 2011). However, this information is not obtained directly but requires mastery of new genetic disorders and finding a solution to ethical dilemmas that may result from screening and testing. Ethics principles and theories provide the basics for solving any ethical problems that may arise during genetic testing (Dale Halsey Lea, Janet Williams, & M. Patricia Donahue, 2005). One for the theories that is recognized is Utilitarianism developed by John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham. It mainly focuses on happiness associated from the consequences and differentiates the good from the bad (Peter Harper, 1997). The acts that are right are the ones that produce happiness to most people. It continues to insist that a good sometimes need to be sacrificed. For example, a baby that is born impairment would rather be killed than live as a burden. Another theory is Deontological theory developed by Immanuel Kant and differentiates the good from the bad and insists obedience to duty as the moral of rightness. A right action is one that is carried with good intentions and consequences do not matter. Respect is also highly emphasized in this approach and is interpreted...
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...and Cons of Genetic Testing: The link of the pros and cons of genetic testing was placed forward not ot argue either way of ya or nay of one side, but more to inform the reader of the advantages. The most important message to take away from this passage is genetic testing is a choice. Whether the author believed genetic testing to be moral or immoral has no place in this article. Genetic testing has many advantages such as early detection of mental and physical defects of a child before birth. This gives parents a way to either terminate the pregnancy to avoid paying the extra money because of low wages or no insurance or to avoid the child going through a life of suffering. It also gives the family time to prepare if they so should choose to keep the child. The article concludes by informing us nothing is certain. You could have a perfectly healthy child that passes with SIDS or have an unhealthy child that live to a lengthy age, which leaves some room for doubts and disadvantages of genetic testing. The textbook explains genetic testing by using the term Genetic Counseling which helps potential parents know the likeliness of having a child with a genetic or chromosomal disorder. The book references counselors being well trained to asses responses from potential parents. Words such as facts, risk, and probability are viewed as sensitive words, and the doctors should be trained well to not mislead and or help to cope with words such as these. There are also 2 ethical guidelines...
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...of Beyond the Genome The articles “Beyond the Genome”, and “DNA Dilemmas” explores the positive and negative characteristics of genetic research in the 1990’s and beyond. The authors use ethical principles, case studies, and opinion poles from various age groups to assemble public reaction to what is emerging as a very complex issue in our society today. They ponder the questions of intervention vs. non-intervention in specific case studies about paternalism, dwarfism, privacy, and flawed gene heredity relating to retardation. In two of the cases, aborting the unborn fetus is at issue if the genetic test results do not favor the parents wishes for the child. This raises health, ethical, and legal arguments which are traditionally at cross-purposes. The issues even hearken back to Roe v. Wade whereby the reason to abort is indisputable. On the other hand, terminating an otherwise healthy fetus can be viewed as selective childbirth, not unlike “the abortion of female fetuses in China”. Having knowledge of what is to come, even in the future of the child’s life is making the difference. More parents are being told genetically determined information about their unborn and existing children, which prior to the advances in the last five years they had no access to. The case relating to paternity is purely a moral one. It focuses on the question of whether incidental information which is generated by genetic testing, outside of what has been requested, should be divulged or not....
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...in the realm of genetic testing, especially in the field of autosomal dominate diseases. Major breakthroughs in this field have produced ethical and moral dilemmas for physicians; conflicts between a patients’ autonomy vs. beneficence and nonmaleficence (doing what’s best for the patient), which has made counseling patients who have severe genetic disorders like Huntington’s disease very difficult. Do you tell a patient that he/she will likely die from a fatal disease? Do you tell the relatives? Do you choose the benefits of notifying the patient over the Psychological harm it may cause? These are so many questions and ethical considerations that arise for a provider when genetic testing predicts a serious, life-threatening disease. One question of particular interest for this case is whether or not a child should be informed or not of his increased genetic risk of a fatal disease, which sparks another round of ethical and moral consideration. Should parents have the right to tell their child that he/she is likely to contract a fatal disease? Does the provider have a duty to inform? Many legal arguments can be made to support a child’s right to decide whether or not they want to reveal genetic testing, and many arguments can be made to support the right for a provider to withhold the devastating results of the fatal disease because of the potential adverse effects. Despite the legal impacts, the decision to inform or not will always vary depending on the ethical principles of...
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...PRENATAL GENETIC TESTING Running Head: PRENATAL GENETIC TESTING Prenatal Genetic Testing and The Ethical Controversies SBI3U 15 April 2015 1 PRENATAL GENETIC TESTING 2 Prenatal Genetic Testing and The Ethical Controversies Introduction Every introduction should start with a shocking fact about the topic, generally to piqué the interest of the reader. The problem is, surrounding the topic of prenatal genetic testing, there isn’t anything that is particularly shocking or interesting anymore. Anything that has a potential to injure a ‘helpless’ fetus, the public has already been informed of and the information has already been extremely exaggerated. The myth of prenatal genetic testing being dangerous has been greatly over told, and is a rather old notion according to a great number of medical journals such as: United States National Library (Gates, 2009), UConn (Pennington, 2011), and many others listed in the references page. Prenatal genetic testing is the process of testing for potential genetic disorders or defects. Doctors and geneticist can now test for over 4000 diseases that are caused or influenced by a fetus’ genetic makeup. The tests can be invasive or noninvasive, and the risks associated with both categories of tests have been greatly reduced since genetic testing was first introduced to modern medicine. Although the ...
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...In regards to the discussion of genetic testing, ongoing advancements in medicine has introduced new opportunities for expecting parents to discover the previously unknown to earlier generations of parents. With technological advances often, times comes ethical dilemmas. An overwhelming amount of information is often times thrown at new expecting parents without adequate education regarding the importance or necessity of the medical necessity or risk. Although great progress continues to be made in regards to genetic testing, contributing factors such as personal preferences must be taken into consideration, along with religious preferences and personal beliefs. An interesting article about genetic testing written by Clayton (2017) reports...
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...Ethical Dilemmas of Genetic and Reproductive Sciences One of the biggest ethical debates surrounding genetic and reproductive sciences is abortion. When parents decide to have genetic testing done, the results may require them to make a decision whether continue with the pregnancy or to terminate. Even for a wanted pregnancy, the decision to terminate a baby who has the potential for a disability is devastating and stressful. There are arguments against prenatal testing and abortion regarding the ethicality. Arguments generally revolve around fetal rights and disability rights (Stapleton, 2017). According to Stapleton (2017), the option for abortion may be provided based on the results of genetic testing, therefore, being unethical in...
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...------------------------------------------------- Ethical Dilemma One ethical dilemma retained my attention. We saw briefly during class a subject regarding animal testing for medical purposes. Should be allowed to test medical purposes on animal rather than human being? From Wikipedia, in the United Kingdom there are approximately 45-70 millions cats and 40 millions dogs. It is also estimated that 3,000 cats and dogs are born every day and 4,000 rats every hour (derelictlondon.com). In other words, I would rather say that if one dies spontaneously after a scientist has realized a test, it would not be a huge damage. On the contrary, when results are positive, they can have amazing affects for the human being, in terms of cancer cure for instance. With animal testing we can discover new medicines and treatments to save millions of people from death. It is a real medical breakthrough for humans. To quote the BBC; “ The case for animal experiments is that they will produce such great benefits for humanity that it is morally acceptable to harm a few animals.” One more obvious counter argument to test medical purposes on animals is there nothing else to test on. Medical research is a difficult and intricate process. The human body is the most complex ‘machine’ and animals are relatively the closest species to us. I will not perceive the use of animals in research as an ethical issue. Testing animals can take place as long as the animal is not suffering and all the benefits...
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...Professor 07/26/2015 Chromosome Number Four The purpose of this paper is to explore the association of crisis intervention relative to nursing and genetics related to Huntington’s disease (HD). The focus will touch on several different topics associated with pre-emptive testing, pregnancy, educational barriers, strengths, signs and symptoms related to the potential of having an aneuploidy fetus. Also, the importance of time sensitive decisions during pregnancy, social support for potential results, financial resources and hardship related to testing. Additionally, the potential for impaired early on-set compromised cognitive functioning linked to Huntington’s disease. Finally, incorporating the expanded role of the professional nursing scope, practice, and ethical dilemmas associated with Huntington’s disease. Chorea a Brief History Huntington-Chorea was identified in 1872 as a rare inherited disorder secondary to “Chorea” jerky uncontrolled movements (Mandal, 2014). Chorea is Greek in origin and defined as “dancing in unison” (Merck Manual, 2015). 1872 the jerky movements were thought to be divine intervention or demon possession that required a type of exorcism to expel (Jumreornvong, 2015). Additionally, with the evolution of genetics in 1983 according to the US-Venezuela Huntington Disease Collaborative Research Project an approximate location of the gene was identified (Mandal, 2014). Likewise, in 1993 the precise...
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...that you are unable to have? 2. Launch d. I am here today to speak with you about the potential uses of stem cells, the funding for stem cell research and the ethical debates of stem cell research. e. If you knew that there might be a potential cure for a disease, would you want the government to follow the lead and explore the possibilities? The answer for me is yes. 3. Relate f. Four years ago, my aunt was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and told that she may not be able to walk in 10 years. g. While there currently is not a cure for MS, the use of stem cells will have a huge impact on treatments and possibly a future cure for this awful disease. 4. Persuade h. Stem cell research can have a significant impact in many areas of medicine. i. There are a variety of diseases and injuries in which a patient’s cells or tissues are destroyed and require organ or tissue transplants. 1. Stem cells are able to potentially create brand new tissue 2. Stem cells may be able to cure diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, type 1 Diabetes, spinal cord injuries, stroke, heart disease, muscular dystrophy and many other diseases. (stemcellresearch) ii. Stem cells can be used to understand more clearly how genetics work during the early stages of cell development 3. With a more clear picture of cell development, scientists may be able to understand why some cells develop...
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...Abstract Advances in human genetic testing have led to ground-breaking discoveries. However, the field is still in its infancy leading to new discoveries daily. This paper will identify and examine the roles of the multi-disciplinary team to deal with a family’s diagnosis of Tay Sach’s disease in their unborn child. It will also include a teaching plan designed for this family and examine the ethical implications of the availability of personal genetic information. There is also a Reflection piece dealing with how I would feel about the family’s decision ad how I would advocate for their decision. It will also examine the ethical and legal considerations of continuing a pregnancy after a diagnosis of Tay Sach’s. Genetics Case Study Family Ethics and Beliefs guide the Trosack family in the initial decision making process but they will need education and support in order to effectively care for their child and cope with the diagnosis of Tay Sach’s. Many resources are needed to properly care for this family and an interdisciplinary team is required to ensure that as many needs can be met as possible. Interdisciplinary Team Members: 1. Case Manager: The Case Manager is essential to planning and coordinating other disciplines to assist the Trosack family. The Case Manager can provide information on care during pregnancy, and also care and resources available in the community after discharge home. The Case Manager can assist in finding appropriate physicians for the child...
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