There have been many medical breakthroughs in the past one hundred years, one of which has been pinpointing the gene that causes Alzheimer's Disease. Medical professionals, however, say that this test should not be administered to anyone. There is no guarantee that if one posses this gene that they will later be diagnosed with Alzheimer's. If the test were to come back positive it would solve nothing and may make the person clinically depress or extremely anxious. Society must remember that all medical breakthroughs are not good, they have other harmful side effects, and must be taken with caution.
I think this post is a great example of how technology, and the knowledge it allows, can cause an ethical or moral dilemma. If science can identify individuals as carrying the gene that causes Alzheimers. Most doctors say that it’s not recommended to tell people that they carry the gene because they don’t understand what it means and are concerned they’ll be unduly worried or depressed. If you don’t have the disease you don’t need to know since they can’t do anything about it. Test results will become part of your medical record and discoverable by insurance companies.
ReplyDeleteI resent a doctor or anyone else deciding what I may or may not understand. Even if I don’t understand, what prevents me from gaining the knowledge necessary to gain an understanding? I don’t discount their points, but one can prepare for dealing with the disease in advance even if the science to effectively treat the condition isn’t yet realized. And what is to stop an insurance company from adding this genetic test to their list of underwriting requirements for an insurance policy?