Introduced during the 1980’s, genetic testing has become much more common and widespread. Genetic testing, commonly known as DNA testing, is a test in which a person’s DNA is tested for defects or mutations. People often use a genetic test to detect if they might have or might acquire a genetic disease that is common in their family. However, because there are various types of genetic tests, inherited mutations are not the only mutations test for. Due to the number of genetic diseases, testing is more common today. Mostly seen for its advantages, genetic testing also has ethical implications that may affect the way people live their lives.
The history of genetic testing has matured and become more advanced since the beginning. Genetic testing,“ initially used to make or confirm a diagnosis of a genetic condition”(“Genetic Testing” n.p.), started developing during the 1950s. During that time, discoveries helped scientists come up with genetic tests for down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Available today, there are several different types genetic tests, such as prenatal testing, diagnostic testing, newborn screening and more. DNA testing has developed from having to get the test done at the doctors to having it able to be done in a home starting in 2008. The beginning of “Internet offerings for DNA-based tests” started with the people who had “cash and spit to spare” (Lewis n.p.). The DNA-based tests have grown and now are available for at home use. At home DNA tests haven’t been around long and are used more often than people would think due to the fact they are more likely for false results.
Some people, despite the price, continue to have genetic tests done to help prevent future complicat...
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...ext couple of years. People want to live longer, they want their children to be normal, and they also want their children to outlive them. Genetic testing, in people’s minds, is one way they can be one step ahead of what could happen and one way they can be prepared.
Works Cited
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"A Brief History of Genetic Testing." A Brief History of Genetic Testing. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
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"Understanding Cancer Series." Gene Testing. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2014.
"Understanding Cancer Series." Gene Testing. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2014.
Advantages of genetic testing may be helpful in determining whether or not you have a disease or are proba...
“The highest rated science program on TV called NOVA made a documentary surrounding genomic testing called, Cracking Your Genetic Code (NOVA, 2008).” This documentary demonstrated and described different techniques of what is genetic testing, how genetic testing is performed, and all the individuals whom benefit from these special DNA techniques. What is DNA? “DNA is material that governs inheritance of eye color, hair color and many other human and animal traits (Riley, 2005).” DNA is developed from the pairing of genes from a female and male gametes (Health & Prenancy, 2012). These gametes fuse together during mitosis and meiosis, getting 23 chromosomes from each parent, in order, to develop an embryo. In this embryo is DNA. DNA is made of 4 different amino acids, in which, are the building blocks for DNA and they are A, T, G, & C. These building blocks have base pairing in a series of sequences and this sequence is what makes up genes. Genes are codes that can read in this sequence to determine what kind of traits offspring is going to have. Through genes DNA testing can be perform to find mistakes. In this documentary, many different genetic testing were performed and some may agree that this can be very controversy because some people will rather not know certain things unless there are signs or symptoms. However, others find this DNA testing as an advantage and knowing this information can prepare them for the “what if” factor. In my research, I will be discussing what genetic testing is, what it provides, what the benefits are, the risks, and what companies provide genomic testing.
By using identified gene mutations that are known to cause diseases, asymptomatic individuals are able to discover if they are at risk for specific genetic conditions; this is known as genetic testing. Unfortunately, genetic testing can vary in its predictive ability. For example, Huntington disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Fragile X syndrome and multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 are conditions that can be determined by genetic testing (Samen, 1996). In contrast, for multifaceted diseases like Alzheimer’s, breast and ovarian cancer and colorectal cancer, predisposition can be determined with genetic testing. However, an absolute diagnosis of those diseases cannot be made (Heshka et al., 2008).
Genetic Screening comes with a lot of pros and cons. It's great for people who come from families with a common disease because there is a chance that genetic screening will inform them whether or not they have that disease. Unfortunately, the outcome is not 100% accurate. Therefore, the results aren't always necessarily true. Those who choose to go under the screening and receive great results are very lucky because they were saved from going through the difficult process of taming a disease. Those who go under the testing and do not receive good
There are several types of genetic tests that can give us a broad amount of information about ourselves, our parents and/or children (What is testing?). Personally, I see advantages and disadvantages to it. Anyone is able to find the probability of them having a disorder or disease and start dealing with before it gets to a lethal stage. For women, it is reassuring to know whether a disorder that they possess can be passed on to their children or not. They can also know whether their child is healthy or not before it is even born. It also impacts on how scientists deal with diseases since they are given a different output of the disease at its early stages and allows them to study it until a cure is found. But what happens when your private information goes public? People will be treated differently because of a high risk of having a cancer in the future. In your CV, your past experiences and your qualities will be accompanied by your genetics test results that inform the company whether you will be a risk to them in the future. A new kind of discrimination will be created in our society. A second major disadvantage to genetic testing is people using it for “superficial” purposes like changing children’s eye colors and other biological characteristics that should not be changes. Above the disadvantages are the benefits which are why I am all for the genetic testing for health-related purposes.
While genetic testing can provide valuable information, many of the tests are not regulated. This means that the tests go to market without an independent analysis of the validity (National Human Genome Research Institute, 2015). Genetic test kits are readily available on the internet for home testing. However, the Food and Drug Administration, as well as the Centers
Cowing, Bryan. "Pros of Genetic Testing in the Workplace." EHow. Demand Media, 19 Oct. 2010. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
It is patients’ right to opt for genetic testing on their own DNA, although they are accepting a great risk by doing so. DNA is unique to each individual, present in each individual since conception, and influences who each individual is, so the information contained within it belongs to each patient, despite the risks. Such risks include DNA testing services providing results to potential employers or insurers, who can make decisions at the disadvantage of the patients if high disease probabilities are discovered. The results can also cause patients to react emotionally poorly and make negative changes to their lifestyles. Although risky, patients deserve the rights to take these risks if they choose to do so.
...e water. We must carefully look at the benefits and at the problems that may also result. Many times it seems we don't worry about the consequences until it is too late. I believe genetic screening will be a great benefit in our future if it used only for the right reasons, but will we be able to control the new information?
Murphy, Samantha. "Genetic Tests Debate: Is Too Much Info Bad for Your Health?"LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 19 Dec. 2010. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
...to get his entire genome mapped out and was prescribed a medicine that help him to live fifteen more months. The risk of genetic testing is the patient finds out when they are going to die and it is nothing that he or she can do. Taking into account a person who finds out that they will have pancreatic cancer, most of the time people with pancreatic cancer die.
First, let's consider the situations in which genetic testing would be beneficial to patients. Genetic testing for diseases that are preventable or treatable could allow individuals to alter their lifestyles so as to treat the disease or reduce their risk of developing the disease. For instance, the E2 version of the APOE gene, which is found on chromosome 19, has been linked to heart disease (Ridley, 1999). Individuals who have two copies of the E2 gene are particularly sensitive to high-fat and high-cholesterol diets. Therefore, a genetic test to determine whether a person has the high-risk version of the APOE gene could inform a person of future health risks, thereby allowing the person to change his diet to help prev...
(2) Even people that don 't have any disease could be more prepare, and prevent it from developing in the future by being more aware thanks to the genetic test provided. Genetic screening is another valuable technology that could help a parent keep track of their baby 's health by examining their chromosomes. Genetic testing and screening could impact the life all patients in a positive way, therefore the opposing side should be grateful, and take advantage of this opportunities provided. For example, a person goes to genetically test themselves in a clinic, and they come to find out that they could potentially develop heart problems in the future. Now they can be more aware, and prepared. They could in many different ways like changing their diet or exercising more so they could better protect their heart, and decrease the chances of having the heart problems, like they where presented in the genetic test. What if the person didn 't know they had a chance to have problems? and start eating unhealthy foods that could likely speed up their changes of developing a heart disease. My point is that the same thing goes to those parent who want to get a update of their unborn child 's health. Many healthy mother don 't really expect that their pregnancy will bring some implications, but in
Genetic testing, also known as screening, is a rapidly advancing new scientific field that can potentially revolutionize not only the world of medicine, but many aspects of our lives. Genetic screening is the sequencing of human DNA in order to discover genetic differences, anomalies, or mutations that may prove pathological. As genetic screening becomes more advanced and easily accessible, it presents society with difficult questions that must be asked about the boundaries of science and to what degree we are allowed to tamper with the human genome. To better understand the potential impact of genetic screening on our society, we must examine the potential benefits in comparison to the possible negative impact it may cause. With this knowledge in hand, we can examine what the future holds for this field of study and the best possible direction to take.
Genetic testing can help people determine why they get cancer or other diseases. Genetic testing is recommended to people who have a family history of a genetic disease, have children who are born with genetic defects, and have gone through more than one miscarriage in the past. Though these te...