Wednesday, November 26, 2014

                                                           Genetic Testing: Is it Ethical?

 In this article we explore the case of Amanda Baxley, who made the decision to have her children through the process of invitro fertilization. She had discovered that she had the gene for Gertsmann-Straussler-Scheinker disease otherwise known as GSS, a fatal disease. This disease has been passed down for generations and Baxley decided that she would not let her predecessors suffer the same fate. Over the course of ten years, the process of invitro fertilization has improved drastically. However, testing and the actual process ensures that a child at risk for a disability would be born healthy, the cost is often not covered under insurance.

There has been great debate on whether or not the procedure is ethical. Many question whether it is right to discard the embryo with a faulty gene. In regards to the ethicality of genetic testing an in vitro fertilization, I feel that if there is a possibility for a child with a high risk of disability to be born healthy and lead a normal life, the opportunity should be taken by all means. As an embryo. the sperm and egg have not developed into a living breathing human being and therefore discarded embryo's with faulty genes should not be seen is the loss of a life but the prevention of leading a difficult life.  

Primary Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/04/health/ethics-questions-arise-as-genetic-testing-of-embryos-increases.html

Secondary Article: http://americanpregnancy.org/infertility/in-vitro-fertilization/


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