Thursday, November 3, 2011

Making cancer-free babies!

How unrealistic would it sound to raise a cancer-free baby? Or have the ability to prevent your new born from ever developing cancer? Due to preimplantation  genetic diagnosis (PGD), scientists are now able to genetically modify the genes of embryos. In this article, doctors at the University Hospital College were able to genetically create the first baby to be free from a type of breast cancer. This was done by removing a gene called BRCA1. Carriers of BRCA1 had a chance of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer. The process was done by modifying the genes of embryos and inserted by in vitro fertilization of the mother. Now, the developing baby girl will have no worries of developing breast cancer. What a fascinating technique developed. With this discovery, we may be able to to prevent more genetic diseases from ever occurring in humans! But people worry that because we have the ability to genetically modify our children, we might pick desirable traits for all our children and develop the "perfect child" or "master race." Then, what involvement would 'natural selection' have left in human development? Although a great discovery, we still need to consider the long term affects on our civilization and society.

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4 comments:

  1. ShyraNovember 6, 2011 at 8:07 AM

    This is an amazing article and shocking that this is possible, but question do arising when talking about genetically modified children. My Aunt had breast cancer and the disease is scary and life-threaten and no one should have to go through it. However, I feel that "playing g-d" and making genetically modified children is wrong and not natural. No one has the right to play g-d and who is to say that this will not cause some other kind of disease or mutation? Genetically modified human are a controversial topic where all consequences and benefits have to be considered.

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  2. maryNovember 14, 2011 at 9:43 AM

    I agree with you Shyra, for exmaple in the movie Jurassic park ( and i know we aren't talking about dinosaurs, bare with me) nature does indeed find a way to evolve and do it's thing if you will. So who is to say that something else wouldnt come along ang cause an even stronger type of cancer.

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  3. lacyNovember 16, 2011 at 5:17 PM

    That is really interesting that our technology allows us to do such incredible things as modify dangerous genes, but it sounds scary as well. It sounds like eventually people will be able to pick what their child will look like and get rid of traits they find undesirable. Hopefully, genetics never goes as far as that. If it stays limited to lethal diseases, this is an amazing discovery.

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  4. rachelNovember 20, 2011 at 5:01 PM

    I agree completely with the other comments. This article and findings are very interesting, but on the other hand a little bit scary that we in a sense can pre-pick the children of the future. This procedure may be good for families that have a greater occurance of cancer within there family, this will help with their future hardship. But on the other hand i agree with Shyra, in the fact that we nor anyone else has the right to pay g-d with the children of the future.

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