In “Am I My Genes?” Dr. Robert Klitzman states that there are about 5,000 diseases where there is good genetic data available for a pre-disposition for that disease (Donovan, 2012). In “Cracking Your Genetic Code” the program states that having some mutations, like the one for Huntington ’s disease is absolute, while other mutations just show an increased chance of the disease, which is much harder to interpret (Nova, 2012). Further, it should be realized that different sequencing companies at this point look at different parts of the genes so the results can be contradictory.
In “Personal DNA Testing,” I learned that many tests look for something called a single nucleotide polymorphism or a SNP and there are 3 million of them, rather than actually sequencing the entire DNA genome sequence (Nova, 2009). Furthermore, this program says that it is not yet known whether actually knowing about a predisposition will help someone’s health or hurt it, as the most common reaction to the knowledge is not yet known. Finally, in “All in the Family” I learned how complex the genetic testing and diagnosis can be given contributions from both sides of the family, the role of family history, and how it is so simplistic to think of a genetic issue just in the relationship of one gene and one disease (Virginia Commonwealth University, 2012).
One of the common issues is whether or not children should be tested for mutations that would pre-dispose them to diseases during their adulthood. From the article “To Test, or Not to Test” I learned that the majority of parents believed that the risks outweighed the benefits in regard to testing their children’s genes (Shute, 2011). This may be naïve, as there can be serious impacts on insurance. As discussed in “Am I My Genes?” there is a law that affects health insurance, but not other insurances, like disability or long-term care. Also, the health insurance law is new and it hasn’t been tested (Donovan, 2012). In “DNA Databases,” the video discusses the idea that DNA is as private as a diary and that testing should be left up to the individual, rather than dictated by some other entity, like the government (Nova, 2001).
But today’s reality is that parents can be tested for over 500 different genes before they try to get pregnant so they might not have to deal with this issue with their children (GreenfieldBoyce, 2011). But this raises other ethical issues, because if you find you both parents carry the mutated disease-causing gene there is still a question of what to do – have no biological children? Use an egg or sperm donor? Do in-vitro fertilization and use only non-mutation carrying embryos? Even scientists are uncertain about the right path in regards to getting their own DNA sequenced, citing examples of when knowing their genome helped prevent diabetes, but also made life insurance too expensive for that same scientist (Stein, 2012).
In my opinion, I believe that having the knowledge is better than not being prepared. If there was a genetic disease in my family, I would likely get a genetic test so I could plan for my life – similar to the woman in “Cracking Your Genetic” code that proved to have the mutation that causes Huntington ’s disease. She can plan her life with this issue in mind and hopefully be able to live her life to the fullest while she is still healthy. She will also know to make decisions about children rather than blindly passing on the mutation and the disease on to the next generation. The issue of genetic testing is a complex one, but ultimately it all comes down to having knowledge and using it as effectively as that information can allow, which will only grow over time.
Works Cited
Donovan, J. “’Am I My Genes?’: Fate, Family And Genetic Testing,” NPR.org. 27 February 2012. Web. 25 July 2013.
Greenfieldboyce, N. “New Genetic Test Screens Would-be Parents.” NPR.org. 13 January 2011. Web. 25 July 2013.
Nova. “Cracking Your Genetic Code.” PBS.org. 2012. Web. 25 July 2013.
Nova. “DNA Databases.” PBS.org. 2001. Web. 25 July 2013.
Nova. “Personal DNA Testing.” PBS.org. 2009. Web. 25 July 2013.
Shute, N. “To Test, or Not To Test, Kids’ Genes for Adult Diseases.” NPR.org. 18 April 2011. Web. 25 July 2013.
Stein, R. “Scientists See Upside and Downside of Sequencing Their Own Genes. 19 September 2012. Web. 25 July 2013.
Virginia Commonwealth University. “All in the Family: Genetics and Family Health History.” VCU.edu. 2012. Web. 25 July 2013.
