By: Dr. Samori Swygert
We’ve arrived at a benchmark in our science and technological advances. The scientific community has already mapped and sequenced the entire human genome. This allows for breakthrough cures, remedies, and treatments. Stem cell research and gene therapy is giving individuals with life threatening conditions another chance at a healthy and fruitful life.
However, with each new discovery comes the potential for corruption, and perversion of an initially noble motive. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted a California based company a patent for a technique that allows them to specifically target and select gene traits for babies.1
The author, Gau Tam Naik, explained that the company, 23andME, will be able to select genes for hair color, eye color, and etc. The potential donor of an egg or sperm can be screened for any genetic abnormalities, and predisposed genes. This was already being performed in fertility clinics but on a more nonscientific basis. Potential parents could preview profiles of donors and make choices based off info supplied to their profile, but they never had the donor’s full genetic sequence! This new patented technique will screen out individuals with undesirable traits. This gives potential parents choices on both disease related traits, and cosmetic non-disease traits.
According to the article, Catherine Afarian, a spokeswoman for the company, indicated that cosmetic trait selection is not the premise for this patented technique. However, even though that is not the intention, the patent approval is there and this can be practiced in the future, legally.
Positive Implications
As a healthcare practitioner that sees critically ill patients on a routine basis, I understand the role and importance in genetic testing and engineering. Many patients and an overwhelming demographic of the U.S. population suffer from genetic diseases such as: Down Syndrome, Sickle Cell Anemia, Huntington’s Disease, Cystic Fibrosis (CFTR gene), Breast Cancer (HER2 gene), and specific Diabetes types. These advances can save many lives, and prevent many diseases if implemented and utilized appropriately. This can save money, cμt health insurance premiums, and give a peace of mind to parents.
My Concerns
Several concerns come into play when I think about the potential perversion of such a powerful scientific capability. I think of this wave of obsession with Botox lip injections, Breast Augmentation, Gluteal (Bμtt) Implants, and the physical and psychological impact on individuals. I think of eugenics and Hitler’s Nazι experimentations to breed a so called “superior race”. I think of the silly recurrent debates of light skin versus dark skin, “good hair” and “bad hair”. How will this affect our love relationships and marriages when it comes to family planning?
This reminds me of a novel I read by Aldous Huxley called, Brave New World, and individuals were no longer being born, but bread in lab and assigned to a particular social class based on genetic superiority or inferiority that was predetermined by the ruling class.
Moreover, as science continues to progress, the potential to gain an advantage comes into play if more discoveries of intellectual and physical traits can be illuminated. Based on the current financial predicament, those that have adequate finances to use this service may have a “one up” on individuals that can’t afford to get the appropriate genetic remedy, and once again, poorer children would suffer unnecessary health conditions based off the lack of money.
I think of ethnic cleansing, and the current climate, and racial tension in America today. WE HAVE A SEVERE RACE PROBLEM THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SOLVED, AND PEOPLE ARE SCARED AND UNWILLING TO MATURELY AND PUBLICLY ADDRESS IT. I feel this denial, and avoidance to have a mature public discourse on the resolution of racism in America will be the main downfall of our nation.
The article also says that “a patient would first specify certain traits that he or she wants in a child, and based on the patient’s own genetic profile, a computerized system then performs inheritance calculations pertaining to the traits of interest and identifies one or more preferred donors for the recipient”.
I think this concept applied with the specific medical purpose of disease management has a place, but I also fervently believe that strict and stringent governance, guidelines, reviews, and audits should be routinely enforced to restrict abuse of this power.
What are your thoughts on this? Please read the article by visiting the link below. God Bless, and have a wonderful day!!
Reference: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303492504579113293429460678
