Question

Advancements in technology in healthcare has allowed for and promoted the use of genetic screening. This approach is becoming more widely available. Today we can conduct prenatal and newborn screening, diagnostic screening for chromosomal issues, carrier screening such as for cystic fibrosis, and predictability screening for possible genetic mutations such as in breast cancer. The future of genetic screening will allow us to fully know our risks so that treatments can be targeted with success. With this precision however there are also ethical issues and dilemmas. When thinking about these issues and dilemmas, what are three ethical considerations arising from the use of genetic screening?

Please address the question from the perspectives both of prenatal screening and screening of adult family members of those with diseases that can be genetically linked. Consider the costs, the potential for discrimination, and how the treatment/prevention can change based on the knowledge of a genetic disease.

Answer 1

Ethical considerations arise with the use of genetic screening:

Undesired options post genetic testing- no treatment available for most of the conditions before birth. it made the couple in pressure to think of not to choose prenatal screening at all.

False-positive and False-negative results- Even the women who screened as negative have the chance of getting defects in baby and vice versa

Personal and societal consequences- some conditions which have no treatments may resulting the mother causing psychological harm, discrimination and stigmatization.

Genetic discrimination occurs when the employee is treated differently by the employer. fera of dicrimination will be there in people who are planning to go for genetic screening.Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) is considering the prevention of discrimination and to protect people. It has two titles. title 1 dealt with discrimination in health insurance and the title 2 dealt with discrimination in employment.

How the treatment/ prevention can change based on knowledge of genetic disease:

It helps in Preventing disease, Predicting disease and resulting in genomic revolution.