Genetic disease screening (1 Viewer)

[Tangent]

In light of the insight story from tonight about genetic testing:

Would you want to get genetically tested to see if you had a genetic disease?

What do you think about embryos being screened, and then terminated if they carried the same disease their parents had? This would coninue until they had a baby without the genetic disease.

Will this eventually lead to us having designer babies, if the above is artificial selection? (as opposed to natural selection, which is a tad crueler, i think)

P.s. there are support groups out there for those who want to find out more about a genetic disease, or just want support.

 

[Kwayera]

All for it.

 

[Sprangler]

If a parent doesn't want a child that is going to be more trouble than it is worth then it is their choice.

 

[Tangent]

If a parent doesn't want a child that is going to be more trouble than it is worth then it is their choice.

i totally agree with it being their choice. but i dont think it is a question of worth, nor is there any question of worth when you are parenting.

I think it is there for those how have genetic diseases and dont want their children to suffer through the same thing they did, nor make them, the parents, suffer along with their children.

 

[Anderson101]

im for it but personally against it on an moral pov.

 

[Tangent]

im for it but personally against it on an moral pov.

please explain, because i didnt really understand

i can understand why you'd be for it, and undertsand why you'd be against it, but can understand what you just said.

also, please say why. i am interested to hear

 

[Anderson101]

tagnent, if people want to get this done they should be able to. Just because some people find it wrong due to X,Y,Z should not deprive financially wealthy parents from taking part in this breakthrough in modern science.

However, even though im not really religious id like to think that the child in my partner is carrying is a miracle, a creation from Allah, Jesus, or whatever you want to believe in and is not something that can be created in a lab under certain conditions.

 

[khorne]

is not something that can be created in a lab under certain conditions.

The problem is, it can. Humans, like all other organisms are not special...Children aren't a gift, merely a way to survive into future generations. They are made to be massively produced...really, it's just a system.

 

[yoddle]

However, even though im not really religious id like to think that the child in my partner is carrying is a miracle, a creation from Allah, Jesus, or whatever you want to believe in and is not something that can be created in a lab under certain conditions.

That's a sort of strange thing for a "not really religious" person to say.
As above poster says, children are biological productions.

As an agnostic you look at childbirth as wonderful, amazing, life-changing etc. but a miracle or creation of Jesuz is a bit strange..

 

[Sarebs]

I have a genetic disease, so I'm all for it. My Dad felt really guilty when he found out he'd given it to me, and I don't want my child to have to suffer unnecessarily.

 

[Kwayera]

Genetic disease screening doesn't even have to involve foetuses already created, either.

Tay-Sachs disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Kwayera]

Genetic disease screening doesn't even have to involve foetuses already created, either.

Tay-Sachs disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[JonathanM]

I volunteered to be tested last year for a whole host of genetic diseases such as Tay-Sachs, Cystic Fibrosis etc. (involved a simple mouth swab)

All clean and I'm glad I found out

 

[HumanDichotomy]

I'm for it in principle...but am also wary of the possible implications. Anyone seen GATTACA? So I guess what I'm saying is that it should be only for an individual (or their child) and not made public or compulsory.

 

[khorne]

designer babies ftw

 

[SylviaB]

OBVIOUSLY people should have the choice if they want to. No question about it.

As long as there's no forced sterilisation of individuals carrying particular alleles, then definitely.

Will this eventually lead to us having designer babies, if the above is artificial selection? (as opposed to natural selection, which is a tad crueler, i think)

Well I would say that when you're talking about it from purely a disease perspective (as opposed to blonde hair blue eyes reasons), it's actually closer to natural selection, because people with Downs Syndrome for example wouldn't survive, you know, 'in the wild' so to speak, long enough to reproduce and so would be selected against naturally anyway.

 

[Tangent]

One interesting thing is that insurance companies cant make u get tested, though a few people have been told to have tests, the fees raised, or are not able to be insured

they (the insurance companies) think ignorance is bliss i guess

 

[Lukybear]

Choice should definately be given upon all cases. Liberty is a joy and pride that we must all undertake.

However, I am highly against this system of abortion, terminating the embryos. It is highly inhumane, analogous to the destruction of the cippled in society.

 

[SylviaB]

However, I am highly against this system of abortion, terminating the embryos. It is highly inhumane, analogous to the destruction of the cippled in society.

oh but your benevolent god creating people with crippling and debilitating genetic diseases is humane??

 

[Tangent]

Choice should definately be given upon all cases. Liberty is a joy and pride that we must all undertake.

However, I am highly against this system of abortion, terminating the embryos. It is highly inhumane, analogous to the destruction of the cippled in society.

How ever im guessing that you still beleive that it is up to people to choose to be tests, and abort.

I have to ask, if you find terminating embryos so inhumane, what about disposing of sperm, or letting a womans monthly period go to waste? They have the same potential for life.

oh but your benevolent god creating people with crippling and debilitating genetic diseases is humane??

Dont be such an idiot, there are plenty of other threads to attack thiests.
You can blame god for everything, but in the end it doesnt make a difference, except making you bitter and hateful to religious peoples who do believe.