Running head: BIOETHICS DISCUSSION

Bioethics Debate
Brooklyn G. Winnecke
Bio152L-B Dr. Bo Nam
Marymount University
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Ever since the work of Watson and Crick, people have been very intrigued with their

DNA. People like to find out what makes them unique to others. However, sometimes this

craving for knowledge leads humans to get tangled in some moral and ethical issues. Genetics

testing for incurable diseases such as Huntington's Disease and Alzheimers is currently one

heavy topic of debate. Many people believe that because there is no cure to these diseases, that

people should not be aware that they are going to have them. Genetics testing should be allowed

for people who have a history of hereditary disease in their family. However, I think the

information from this genetic test should be kept within the family.

One of the most important points to consider when doing genetic testing is privacy. There

is a lot of controversy currently about whether sites such as “23 and Me” are invading privacy of

people who have their family trees posted. There are even currently a few convictions based on

these trees. Because of the internet, it is hard to keep anything private in the word we live in.

When it comes to genetic testing for disorders this can create a big issue. If it were public

information that someone has the gene positive for Alzheimers or Huntington's disease, others

can take advantage of this. It is extremely crutial to keep health related issues secret from the

public.

If genetic testing for incurable disorders is allowed, only the family and primary

physicians should know the outcomes. As of right now it is currently legal for this information to

be known by the government. This could lead to discrimination from employers are possibly lead

to the individual not being able to get a life insurance policy. It may also affect them being able

to get regular health insurance. This could be detrimental to a person and their family because it
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is discrimation of something that the person can not help. It almost leads us to think that this

information can do more harm than good if it lands in the wrong hands.

However, these neurodegenerative diseases take a lot of time, patience, and money from

the families of the person that is affected. Even if the person who is being tested doesn't want to

know the results of the test, their families should be allowed to see their future genetics

outcomes. If the families of these patients had a warning about what was going to happen 20-10

years down the road, they can start preparing for it properly. This could look like getting a better

insurance policy, starting a new savings account, or even looking for a place that can

accommodate that person in their time of need. Preparation is the most important thing that can

come out of genetic testing.

In China, many residents took a survey on how they felt about genetic testing. In every

question that was asked, the people of China always opted for genetic testing. From heart disease

to incurable disorders to testing on children, they believe that technology is an asset, not

something to be afraid of. Even though a survey has not been conducted in America, I would

expect different results. Many people in America govern themselves differently and privacy

seems to be a bigger virtue in the States. However, as technology begins to advance, I think it is

going to be impossible to maintain the same privacy standards that were held in the 90s.
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REFERENCES

Chinese geneticists’ views of ethical issues in genetic testing and screening: Evidence for

eugenics in China. (1998). ​American Journal of Human Genetics​, ​63​(3), 688–695.

Fallat ME, Katz AL, Mercurio MR, et al. Ethical and Policy Issues in Genetic Testing and

Screening of Children. ​Pediatrics​. 2013;131(3):620-622.

http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bxh&AN=BACD201300188628

&site=ehost-live. Accessed April 27, 2020.