Preview

Are There Justifiable Limits to Genetic Research?

Best Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2275 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Are There Justifiable Limits to Genetic Research?
Are There Justifiable Limits to Genetic Research? The Human Genome Project is often referred to as one of the most exciting and revolutionary developments in modern medicine, with the potential to unveil the mysteries of disease and lead to the prevention of hereditary disease and disability (Miller 152). The original determining of the primary structure of the human genome was completed in 2003, on the other hand scientists are still attempting to understand what is described as ‘a vast resource of raw information.’ As soon as the human genome sequence was proclaimed, it was seen as one of the greatest scientific achievements in modern history; with good reason, the assumption prevailed. Determining the structure and nature of the genetic code promises to provide valuable insight into human evolution and the molecular basis of disease, although sequencing the genome is just the first step towards the goal of determining the meaning or function to every sequence. In doing this, the range of genetic research and testing spreads into many different areas of study that produce ethical issues in the types of research that are performed (Cullen 279). Currently, a number of ethical as well as legal issues are at hand that have to be considered before scientists can confidently use this information to maximize health benefits. As science progresses over time, the issues of genetic research will raise substantial concerns for a number of people, and it will continue to rise. Therefore, limits need to be set on certain areas of genetic research to allow a better governing of this research in order to prevent unethical events that could possibly lead to the annihilation of genetic study as a whole.
The swift development of genetic research raises the sort of questions that scientific or government based institutions should address. Some genetic research could help cure and prevent diseases that have tormented humanity for thousands of years if established wisely; if



Cited: Cullen, R., & Marshall, S. (2006). Genetic research and genetic information: a health information professional 's perspective on the benefits and risks. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 23(4), 275-282. Gockel, H., Schumacher, J., Gockel, I., Lang, H., Haaf, T., & Nöthen, M. (2010). Achalasia: will genetic studies provide insights?. Human Genetics, 128(4), 353-364. Hallowell, N., Cooke, S., & Crawford, G. (2010). An Investigation of Patients ' Motivations for Their Participation in Genetics-Related Research Hayes, Richard. Genetic Engineering Limits – A Planet Responds. NetLibrary. Thurs. 26 Nov. 2010. Miller, F., Giacomini, M., & Ahern, C. (2008). Contending visions in the evolution of genetic medicine: The case of cancer genetic services in Ontario, Canada. Social Science & Medicine, 67(1), 152-160. Robinson, T., & Goodson, P. (2010). Religious and Genomics/Genetics Beliefs: An Exploratory Study Schermer, M. (2008). Genomics, obesity and enhancement: moral issues regarding aesthetics and health Wolf, L., Bouley, T., & McCulloch, C. (2010). Genetic Research with Stored Biological Materials: Ethics and Practice. IRB: Ethics and Human Research (The Hasting Center), 32(2), 7-18. Retrieved from Philosopher 's Index database.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In today’s society where scientific research is ever present. do individual companies and other groups have a right to lay claim to individual genes in the human body, or is the practice of patenting genes a bad idea? In his work entitled “Patenting Life,” famed author Michael Crichton uses several illustrations of why he believes the practice of issuing patents on human genes is not only a bad idea, but goes against common sense. Saying “you cannot patent snow, eagles, or gravity, and you shouldn’t be able to patent genes, either” (Crichton 442). Crichton compares “owning” a patent on a gene to some of the most majestic things one can observe in nature. The powerful visuals offered in that statement calls to the reader a clear and firm comprehension of how passionately Crichton feels about the topic of gene patents. His comparison to genes and other things in nature captures the reader’s attention firmly as he begins to build his case against patenting genes.…

    • 1006 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “Genetically Modified Humans? No Thanks,” the author Richard Hayes is responding to Ronald M. Green’s article on gene therapy. Hayes is a visiting scholar at the University of California at Berkeley and has a Ph.D. in Energy and Resources. He has also addressed the United Nations about banning human cloning worldwide. The author argues against using genetic therapy in human research because of the risk it provides for human rights. He believes that it will likely result in the escalation of social inequality. Hayes is wrong, but also right at the same time. He is right about how gene manipulation has the potential to cause some real harm, but is wrong about how people should never use genetic technologies.…

    • 532 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Hsm 542 Week 1&2 Discussion

    • 45403 Words
    • 182 Pages

    | Given a situation related to reproductive genetics, genetic research, or the human genome project, develop a set of legal and ethical guidelines, which can be applied to genetic issues for the conduct of medical practice and/or research.…

    • 45403 Words
    • 182 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Australian Law Reform Commission and the Australian Health Ethics Committee ‘Protection of Human Genetic Information’ (2002) ALRC, Sydney…

    • 2744 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Humans are on a constant quest in the search for perfection and advancement in all areas of life through progressive scientific knowledge. From such a stance, the future of humans appears boundless with all the potential possibilities biotechnology provides, but such developments will cause ethical, social and biological implications.…

    • 1631 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Human Genome project, a revolutionary study that spanned over 13 years, hoped to discover more about the DNA of humans. The study's main goal was to provide new information to help with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of genetic disorders. From the substantial amount of information and knowledge acquired from the project, new ways to test for genetic disorders, and the probabilities of inheriting disorders was gained. Gene testing, which involved taking a sample of a persons DNA, helped screen for a number of different disorders and problems. Before genetic testing, couples at risk of conceiving a child with a particular genetic disorder would have to initiate the pregnancy and then undergo the testing, faced with the dilemma of terminating the birth if the results weren't good. But because of the new technology available, with the combined effort of IVF, sperm and egg cells can be removed from both individuals, and the eggs would then be fertilized within a laboratory. The embryo's would then be tested for genetic mutations,…

    • 701 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Term Papper

    • 23605 Words
    • 95 Pages

    (D) an understanding of DNA is essential to making well-informed personal medical choices or to making good public policy decisions about health care…

    • 23605 Words
    • 95 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Ruth Chadwick, the author of “Drug Discovery Today: Therapeutic Strategies”, revealed her concerns for the personalized medicine movement, “The move towards personalized medicine may disadvantage some patients in some social contexts, by shifting the allocation of resources in the health care system. Risks also surround the increasing accumulation of health data that goes hand in hand with personalized medicine” (Chadwick 171). Chadwick refers to the collection of personal DNA test information, “accumulation of healthcare data” as a risk; however, with the increased informational knowledge brought in by personalized medicine testing, cancer or other incurable diseases could benefit from an increased database of information. The risks mentioned by Chadwick may elude to an ethical argument for the increased concerns as personalized medicine comes to mainstream healthcare. Ideally, the increase in genetic testing among individuals through the implementation of personalized medicine would bring in massive amounts of information regarding the precursors for diseases and cancer allowing medical attention to become more accurate.…

    • 1774 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Since the test involves taking only a small blood sample, where a person’s DNA can be found, these tests have a minimal health risk. Genetic testing was initially used in pregnancies to test for diseases like Down's Syndrome and other genetic disorders (“What are the...”). However, thanks to more recent improvements, genetic testing has come to display several weaknesses and strengths. The genes that can be obtained from infants can notify parents of possible physical deficiencies, while others may show physical advantages (Stein).…

    • 478 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Since the first two human gene patents, now approximately 20% of human genes have been patented within the past 30 yrs. With all the debate against gene patenting claiming that it is wrong as with science it limits the research aspect and with business it limits innovations and opportunities that could be created by research to diagnose, detect and find treatments for diseases.…

    • 63 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    From a patient’s perspective, people tend to see genetic information as more definitive, in the sense that 'you cannot change your genes' and that 'genes tell all about your future.’ Such genetic determinism is an oversimplification and does not take into account the nature of biologic pathways. From a provider’s perspective, genomics presents challenges with respect to ethical and professional responsibilities, including the appropriate use of genomic information in the health care setting. I believe that there should be an identification of provider education programs that increase use of appropriate screening, counseling and evidence-based genetic tests. By increasing the effectiveness of genomic testing, it will help dissolve the negative association and further increase the proportion of people who are willing to receive genetic…

    • 463 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Genetic testing, aka DNA testing, allows doctors to check if there are any possibilities to inherit diseases, and can also be used to determine a person's ancestry or biological relationship between people. It is important to understand the background and implications behind genetic testing as testing may be able to identify the odds of have of having a child with a genetic disease, but it can also result in miscarriage. The test often cannot determine if the child will show symptoms of a disease, how severe the symptoms will be, or whether the disease will progress over time. Another thing to take into consideration is the absence of treatment strategies…

    • 714 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Despite rapid scientific progress, many people of the public feel somewhat excluded from the debate surrounding the application of science in new technologies and products. Moreover, as scientific progress becomes increasingly fundamental to society, it is becoming equally difficult to stop it from clashing with long-held ethical values. One common and long standing debate is gene therapy. In 2005, a public survey was conducted to see people’s attitudes towards human gene therapy and while 82% stated that they would accept somatic therapy for major illnesses like heart disease, only 64% supported…

    • 479 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    For the benefit of having access to a full genetic screening, an ethical issue would arise as to whether the information about certain codes like predisposition to diseases would be helpful or harmful to a client. Similarly, screening for genetic abnormalities prenatally could lead to unsafe abortions if the child is abnormal or just a general anxiousness for their baby. While there are many benefits of genetic screening, the ethical dilemmas that accompany each one are…

    • 286 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Education for health care provider and patient on genetic is vital to avoid risk of misinterpreting genetic results due to poor understanding of genetic principles. It can increase the potential for misguided use of genomic medicine, as…

    • 162 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays