The Pros And Cons Of Genetic Screening

In their efforts to better humanity, scientists are beginning to cure what were once thought to be incurable diseases through new applications of genetic modification. However, there is not as clear of a distinction between what is considered a genetic therapy (which is generally considered a positive application) from a genetic enhancement (which is considered morally wrong) as there should be. Genetic screening was once only used for potentially life –threatening diseases in embryos. Similar technology is now giving parents the ability to select from a line-up of potential personal characteristics they would like their child to have through a process called gene prediction. A survey was done of U.S. adults on the ability to screen for non-disease
The regulated growth of clinical research is required to make accurate treatment plans and implement reasonable ethical boundaries. A meeting in 1975 of scientists who were in a panic about a new discovery of recombinant DNA placed unnecessarily strict limitations on researching the subject. A 2016 article on regulating the research on genetic modification used this as an example. The ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY article illustrates that the meeting led to a belief that recombinant DNA experiments would lead to “potential biohazards”, but the intense legislation simply impaired the research that could have proved that the experiments were not harmful (ISSUES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2-3). This shows that without a full understanding of what can be expected from certain advancements, authorities tend to be overly cautious, but this can be avoided if the created laws allowed for research to advance in an ethically sound way. Without the proper research limitations on the new technology, unknown, and unintentional consequences may stem from the initial goal. In a TEDTalk in 2016 Jennifer Kahn explains what the new technology is and what it can
Controlling laws can lead to scientists’ use of fully understood technology to begin curing diseases that were once devastating. A group of researchers in China, hope to host a clinical trial to test the ability of modified immune cells to defeat various forms of cancer. David Cyranoski reported to NATURE, in 2016, about a study set to be performed in order to help cancer patients. The report states, “a group at Pecking University in Beijing hopes to start three clinical trials using CRISPR against bladder, prostate, and renal cancers” (Cyranoski 1). This shows that when procedures are applied correctly, major innovations can be discovered to help millions of sufferers. Another clinical trial that has received ethical approval, is still ongoing, taking the beginning steps to cure patients with childhood blindness by modifying the mutated recessive genes in the DNA of the patients. Samuel Jacobson and others are on the fast track to eliminating a debilitating disability. Jacobson and his colleagues report, “…A childhood-onset autosomal recessive blindness that is known to be caused by mutations in at least 19 different genes, was considered to be untreatable and incurable….” (Jacobson, et. al. 1,920). The patients gained back partial vision, after 6 months of treatment, and maintained