The Idea of Discrimination Based on Genetic

The film Gattaca was released in 1997, just six years prior to the completion of the Human Genome Project (completed in April 2003), with a working draft completed in June 2000. The name of the film refers to an Aerospace corporation featured in the movie; however, its letters correspond to the 4 nucleotide bases that make up the integrity of the human genome. The sequencing of the human genome poses tremendous benefits not only in the future, but in the present. From identifying pharmaceutical targets in the body, screening for diseased genes, or determine if individuals are predisposed for certain hereditary or nonhereditary illness’. Despite these benefits, there are ethical issues that must be addressed with the knowledge attained from sequencing the human genome.

The recurring motif present in Gattaca was the idea of genetic discrimination and restricting people to a certain social class, career and overall way of life based on their genetic make – up. The idea of discrimination based on genetic make up was debated prior to the completion of the Human Genome Project. In 1996, the United States government passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act which sought to protect individuals from unauthorized and non – consensual release of health related information. The film discusses the notion of genetic discrimination in great detail, postulating that individuals in the futuristic society are limited by their predisposed genetic make – up. The titular character in Gattaca, Vincent, was born through natural means, without the interference of reproductive technologies and in vitro fertilization. Upon birth a blood sample was able to determine major ailments he may be susceptible to in the future (su...

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...portrayal of the molecular biology in the film was not detailed, the concerns regarding the social problems were very detailed and could potentially be accurate. One way to resolve this controversy is to enforce strict federal laws that will regulate the use of an individual’s genome sequence so that the privacy of the individual will not be violated. Insurance companies will not be allowed to consider a customer’s genome sequence for their services. Furthermore, the issue on designer babies will also have to be addressed. Unfair advantages cannot be asserted to offspring because their parents are wealthy. Each child should be given the same random chance to attain traits such that no advantage will be had. In the future, the political aspects of the topic should be introduced in media as well because that is how the majority of the decisions will be made.