Discussion
Part of your assignment is to describe and discuss the positive and negative aspects of genetic testing and to comment on a quotation from Text I. We will first focus on the pros and cons of genetic screening and then give you some points that can help you comment on the quotation.
Positive and negative aspects of genetic testing
The texts in your exam assignment offer you various points related to the pros and cons of the genetic testing of embryos before pregnancy.
The positive aspects of genetic testing mentioned in the two texts are:
- The genetic testing of embryos can help dramatically reduce the risk of the child (and the future adult) developing severe, incurable diseases like breast and ovarian cancer, hemophilia, muscular dystrophy, Huntington’s disease, and others. (Texts I and II)
- The genetic testing of embryos stops diseases from being transmitted from one generation to the next. This is particularly valuable for parents who have a family history of certain genetically transmitted medical conditions. (Texts I and II)
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The negative aspects of genetic testing mentioned in the two texts are:
- Genetic testing does not offer absolute certainty that the child will not get a specific disease. There is still a 1% chance that the child might develop the disease that the embryo was screened for (Text I).
- The procedure is complicated and can only be done through in vitro fertilization. This means that genetic testing is impossible for couples who want to conceive naturally. (Texts I and II)
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Comment
The quotation that you have to comment on from “Breeding out Disease” is: ‘We all throw genetic dice when we have children. But when you know the dice are loaded and that there's a really reasonable chance that your baby will have an incurable, dreadful condition, you're looking for an alternative.’
The quotation suggests that the human reproductive process is similar to a lottery. However, it also points out that the ‘alternative’ of genetic screening is necessary and important when prospective parents know that their children have a high chance of being born with a serious, life-threatening disease.
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