Use of genetic information
There have been rapid and stunning advances in the knowledge of how genes affect the specific tasks of different cells in the human body. The study of this interaction is known as human genetics. When human genetics and reproductive technology are combined they allow scientists to tailor make a human through the manipulation of human genes. Advances in human genetics and the application of them through reproductive technology could negatively affect society. The manipulation of human genetics and the personal information gained from reproductive technology will cause genetic discrimination based on economics. Genetic information obtained from reproductive technology might be used by insurance companies in the determining of insurance coverage. Employers could use genetic information to select employees based on genetic traits; to lower costs related to personnel. The cost of reproductive technology and genetics manipulation will perhaps make it a process for the wealthy. The insurance, hiring, and technology cost issues possibly will cause genetic prejudice due to financial matters. One of the most contentious uses of genetic information is its potential use by insurance companies to determine whether to offer insuran
As long as you have money, anything is possible and there will be people there to cater to your needs no matter the demand and this is the case for genetic manipulation and reproductive technology. Anyone with enough money will be able to tailor make their children genetically to their desires. Another use of genetic and reproductive technology is in prenatal screening of the fetus or embryo for serious genetic disorders: "Patients may be put under pressure to terminate an affected pregnancy, because of the financial consequences of giving birth to a severely disabled child (Health 151)." Health professionals, health care providers and insurers could put financial pressure on a pregnant mother to terminate a pregnancy because of the financial fear of giving birth to a child with a genetic disorder. The interests of the child or parents could be swayed to abort a pregnancy because of the parent's economic background. A parent, who is poor, might not be able to afford gene therapy to help cure their unborn child. An affluent parent might not have to go through this, since they could afford the cost to care or treat the ailment of a disabled child. This genetic and reproductive technology may perhaps cause a great divide in our society. This divide will be based on a person's ability to pay for these new genetic and reproductive technologies. The rich will have better and better kids, who will be smarter, stronger, and more beautiful, while kids of the poor will get dumber, weaker, uglier and carry genetic diseases. The poor and politically powerless have nothing to gain from allowing human NST (nuclear somatic transfer or cloning) and perhaps, a lot to lose (Pence 143). It is feared that those with a positive genetic test (finding a predisposition to a particular health disorder), who are obliged to reveal this information to the insurance company, will be refused insurance cover or will be charged such high premiums that in effect they are refused the opportunity to benefit (from insurance) (Human 155). Processes such as human and genetic manipulation will further the division of classes in society by those who can afford to make a perfect genetic child and those who cannot. Lee Silver, a Professor of genetics at Princeton said:
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Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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