Chapt. 14 Education, Health and Medicine. "And Man Has Become As One Of Us...."...Genesis

Answer to the questions posed in Controversy & Debate The Genetics Crystal Ball: Do We Really Want to Look?

1. Do people have a right to know the future health prospects of a partner before marriage?

This is an interesting question. Many states require a blood test before a marriage license is issued although most people don't know why anymore (the test is to detect and treat syphilis, rubella, and in some states HIV). In the early 7o's it was popular in the African American community to get tested for Sickle Cell Anemia before marriage so that the couple could determine the chances of their children having the disease. My belief is that it should be up to the couple involved voluntarily but not as an enforceable legal right (it wouldn't work anyway because one or the other partner would probably be insulted and call off the wedding).

2. Should parents be permitted to genetically "design" their children?

A definite NO unless any genetic modification is to prevent a child from being born with a detectable disease or other future health problem. Genetic alteration to design a "smarter, more intelligent" child or to design certain desirable physical attributes should be banned. Not only does it smack of what the Nazi's were trying to do but would create a new class and maybe racial division of "Enhanced" people. There are many sciences fiction novels and articles of speculation that discuss the consequences of going down that road.

3. Should genetic research companies be allowed to patent their discoveries so that they can profit from the results, or should this information be made available to everyone.

Another tricky question. All discoveries that would cure of prevent disease, illnesses and birth defects should by available to everyone. The rest is unclear. Looking back the previous question what if in the future a group of people were to be sent to colonize the planet Mars. Should they be genetically altered to better withstand the atmospheric and gravitational conditions that they would live under? That should be patented. While these questions are in the realm of science fiction right now, they may be science fact sooner than we think.

"And Man Has Become As One of Us, Except He does Not Have Immortality"...Genesis

And I might add.....WISDOM.