Genetic testing
March 27, 2009
Every individual has a blueprint called the DNA. This can be used to replicate some or even all of the characteristics of that person. Studies are going on to develop children that will have characteristics that are desired by parents. Gattaca might not seem to be too far fetched after all.
It remains a question as to how ethical the whole thing is. However, that is not enough to stop these scientists from experimenting and carrying out research in this area.
Genetic testing can also be used to diagnose breast cancer in a very simple test. This can be a breakthrough in cancer testing techniques.
There are several other tests that can be done with ease, or at least the claims say so. Here are some of them for you to get enlightened.
Predictive testing
It does exactly what the name tells. It is a test that will predict if you are at a risk of developing a disease or not. There are two types of these tests, presymptomatic and susceptibility tests
The susceptibility test will determine how susceptible you are to a particular disease like cancer, compared to the rest of the population in general. While the presymptomatic test will predict for you if you will later on develop a disease or even its symptoms.
While these tests are not available to the public at present, there are some sites that offer them directly to the general public. However, it is important that they are authenticated first.
Non-medical testing
Imagine having to be genetically tested before you can get accepted at a job or even for an insurance. It is not so far-fetched, though. Although it may sound unethical, the laws surrounding this issue are not able to cover it fully. The reason for this is that this field is too big and the laws too ambiguous.
Checking reproductive risk
This screening is performed to determine if the potential child is susceptible to developing any substantial genetic disorder. The testing may be done on the parents and the child during the pregnancy stage.
Newborn screening
This is done on the newborn to check the presence of any hidden disorders that might not be so visible at the time of birth. This is not predictive.
While most of these techniques are still in the research stages, questions still loom large as to how ethical they are.
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