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Reproductive Technologies and Genetics
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all Christians will agree with every one of his arguments and conclusions, but
we can learn from his presentation and analysis of key aspects of the debate.
One other issue—
genetic engineering
—needs to be considered. In one
sense, this phrase refers to any technique having to do with the manipulation
of gametes (reproductive cells) or the fetus, including the various types of
artificial conception already discussed, as well as methods for treating dis
ease in the womb. Another aspect of genetic engineering concerns the
manipulation of genetic material to enhance or improve human life, includ
ing attempts to manufacture human beings to exact specifications. In our
comments below, we refer to this second area of genetic engineering, a field
of research and experimentation that presents some of the most complex and
far-reaching ethical challenges in the history of humanity.
The Food and Drug Administration approved the first genetic engineer
ing experiment on a human on September 14, 1990. A four-year-old girl suf
fering from a rare immune disorder called adenosine deaminase (ADA) defi
ciency was the patient. ADA made her highly susceptible to infections and
various forms of cancer because she is unable to form antibodies against
abnormal cells. Scientists extracted her lymphocytes (white blood cells),
ihen transplanted a functioning ADA gene into them, and infused them
back into the girl. The process must be repeated monthly because the cells
survive only a few weeks.
This experiment is part of the Human Genome Project, a three-billion-
dollar, fifteen-year effort, begun in 1988, to identify every human gene and
assign it to its chromosomal location. This is a monumental task, since each
human cell contains about one hundred thousand genes. These genes, com
posed of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), direct our development from con
ception to adulthood and are passed on to our children. One full set of DNA
(the genome) contains about three billion bits of information strung end to
end. As the Human Genome Project proceeds, discoveries of disease-linked
uenes are being reported with increasing frequency.
While the project offers exciting possibilities for the early detection and
even elimination of genetic disorders, many people are alarmed by the impli
cations of the research. They claim that we have started down a “slippery
slope,” with no objective means of determining where to stop. If we can
eventually identify, remove, and replace any gene in the human body, what
will prevent us from trying to improve the gene pool by selecting only “supe
rior” traits? Who decides which traits are superior?
Many other ethical questions arise. For example, may insurance compa
nies acquire the genetic data of people before insuring them? If so, can com
panies rightly withhold insurances from genetically high-risk persons?
Should employers have access to the genetic map of prospective or current
employees? Should we choose marriage partners and decide to have children
on the basis of genetic identity and predisposition? Should embryos be