There many other genetic tests available now that can determine identity
and paternity. When the Human Genome Project is completed,
scientists predict that a battery of tests will be available to determine
what diseases and characteristics a person is prone to. But as with
any new knowledge, we must determine what people have access to what
information, and how that information can be used.
Identity Test
Currently, DNA testing can be used to match one genetic sample to another.
This is being used in many court cases to prove that a person was at a
scene where his DNA was picked up in the form of a hair, blood, or skin
samples. However, the police cannot just look at some DNA and know
whose it is; they must have a suspect, get a DNA sample from him, and
attempt a match. Without a suspect, there is no way to figure out
whose DNA was at the scene.
Many people believe that crimes could be solved much more quickly and
efficiently if there was a national database containing DNA samples from
each person. Of course, the entire DNA strand would not be needed --
just the pieces usually used for testing. But should the government
really have access to everyone's DNA samples?
Full Workup
Scientists hope that in the near future, testing will be available that
will determine immunity or succeptibility to disease, whether the patient
will have side effects to certain drugs, whether he might develop a
terminal illness, or even what his basic intelligence potential is.
That's a lot of information, and a good bit of it could be damaging in the
wrong hands. But whose hands are the wrong hands? This full
genetic workup leads to many, many questions. For instance, should
this test be done at birth or only on demand? Should insurance
companies allowed to see your disease succeptibilities? Can they
charge you more if you are succeptible to an expensive disorder?
Should drugs be allowed on the market that can be very harmful to some but
not to others, provided that the recipient is tested to make sure the drug
is safe for him? If a person will likely develop a terminal illness,
should the doctor tell him, or just decide that ignorance is bliss and let
him find out twenty, thirty, even fifty years down the road? Can an
employer discriminate based on basic intelligence? These questions
only scratch the surface of what may come.
In addition, if access to a product is restricted, a black market usually
springs up. What should the penalty be for trying to gain access to
another person's genetic information?
Core Issue
The core issue brought up by genetic testing is this -- is a person bound
to a genetic future, or is man more than the outcome of his genes?
Is genetic tendency immutable? Can a little strand of chemicals
really determine the outcome of our entire lives? |