The Not So Distant Future
It seems that the ability to discriminate against people due to their DNA is in the very not to distant future. In today’s Chronicle, there was an article stating that several Duke professors aided in the drafting of the Genomic and Personalized Medical Act of 2007. This bill would, “play a major role in future efforts to deploy genomic-based and personalized medicine-health care based on individuals’ genetics and social backgrounds.” They claim that this would allow “technologies relevant to personalized medicine to be incorporated into health care expeditiously, effectively and safely.” However, this would allow people to see our genetic weaknesses. What if employers got access to these records? Would they hire someone whose heart might give out in a year or two, or someone who was predispositioned to rage and violence? Probably not.
In the movie GATTACA, those who were considered genetically inferior were not even given a chance to prove themselves capable of doing certain jobs. Vincent proved that genetics was not all it was cracked up to be. He showed that it is possible to over come genetics, and that will power is far more important than potential. He was able to do his job just as good as anyone else; he could even out swim in genetically engineered brother.
Yes, being able to alter drugs to treat each individual person would be a wonderful scientific advancement, however, precautions must be taken. This data must be used only for that purpose or it could lead to horrific social disasters.
You can read this article at: http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2007/04/06/News/Duke-Profs.Aid.In.Creation.Of.Genomic.Medicine.Bill-2827972.shtml
In the movie GATTACA, those who were considered genetically inferior were not even given a chance to prove themselves capable of doing certain jobs. Vincent proved that genetics was not all it was cracked up to be. He showed that it is possible to over come genetics, and that will power is far more important than potential. He was able to do his job just as good as anyone else; he could even out swim in genetically engineered brother.
Yes, being able to alter drugs to treat each individual person would be a wonderful scientific advancement, however, precautions must be taken. This data must be used only for that purpose or it could lead to horrific social disasters.
You can read this article at: http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2007/04/06/News/Duke-Profs.Aid.In.Creation.Of.Genomic.Medicine.Bill-2827972.shtml
posted by Malen at 12:10 PM
3 Comments:
To think that genetic discrimination could be in our not so distant future is quite scary. I think that that information should not be made public because like we said in class, it is just a "draft". Nothing is for certain until you live out your life. I think we determine part of our destinies. If we are willing to work to our potential, then we are able to do things that even science cannot predict. (as in the case for Vincent.) Hopefully our society will never get the chance to become like the one in GATTACA where people can submit DNA to be screened whenever they want.
Yes, it is definitely scary. Even today, health insurance companies can discriminate against potential holders based on family history of disease or other genetic defects. Imagine if health insurance companies gained access to everyone’s entire genetic code and even their life expectancy. I doubt that the health insurance companies would offer insurance at a reasonable rate to anyone with an expectancy under 50 or 60, which could be a great deal of us solely based on genetic coding and family history. If this all were to happen, would health insurance be only for the genetically elite few, and therefore, would health care also only be for the elite few? Eventually the disparity between the genetically superior and the genetic outcasts would increase and we would be living in the world of Gattaca. Not so distant future, huh?
I agree that such a scientific advancement as shown in GATTACA could be potentially scary for our world. If people begin to be judged by their genes, how will discrimination change? Instead of getting rid of discrimination altogether, will scientific advancements such as this only take us one step backward?
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