Sickle Cell And Black Genocide Summary

According to the article Sickle Cell and Black Genocide, Wilbur Johnson and Mae Sanford, both African American, had met while working on a community action project in a larger Eastern city. After going together for a year, they decided to get married and have a family.

Lester Kettering, Mr. Johnson’s physician, asked if Mr. Johnson knew his sickle cell status and explained if he and his wife were carriers, they had one chance in four that any child born to them would have the disease. Also, he explained that they would also have two chances in four that a child would be a carrier, while in one of four births the offspring would carry no copies of the gene. Dr. Kettering also explained that it was state law that any children born would be routinely

Sickle cell disease is autosomal recessive; that is, both parents must have at least one copy of the gene before there is a risk of producing children with the disease (homozygotes). When both parents are carriers, the risk of bearing such a child is 25 percent with each pregnancy. Carriers themselves are almost symptomless and may have no idea of their status unless they are screened.

Moreover, Mr. Johnson’s younger brother died in adolescence from the disease, after many painful and debilitating attacks. He thus knew it was a possibility that he himself was a carrier. Mr. Johnson also knew that the trait is fairly common among African Americans, about one in twelve is a carrier, so there was a good chance his fiancée was a carrier too. Ms. Sanford knows of no sickle cell disease in her immediate family, but she is in a racial group with a relatively high rate of

If the parents choose to opt out of getting a sickle cell test done for their infant than it should be their decision. This would fall under the principle of autonomy. Autonomy demonstrates respect for persons as it allows for independence over one’s decisions and choices. However, if the child were born with this disease it would cause harm to the child as well as the parents. I would want a test for my child; if I knew there was a chance my husband and I were carriers. The severity of this inherited abnormality could almost severely handicap this child. This is weakly justified to Mr. Johnson as well as to myself. I believe that there should be some sort of health insurance to help this disease. As a parent it is their duty to do everything in their power to have a normal and healthy baby.

I do not believe that mandating newborn testing is crippling the black reproductive capability because why wouldn’t you want to know what’s wrong with your child. If doctors see that this disease is genetically inherited it is their duty to look out for their patient’s best interest. Mr. Johnson’s refusal should be respected because he has the freedom and beliefs to do so. It shows that Mr. Johnson has some resentment towards the white society. He does not fully trust his physician best interest. There is no cure for this disease