Ethical or not?

[Deb]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/jan/09/breast-cancer-gene-baby

Birth of first British baby screened to be free of cancer.

Discuss, debate, chew the cud. Go ethical. :-D

[rachelwitty]

for me, this isn't an issue.

everyone has a right to a healthy life and if this baby girl doesn't have to worry in the future about the risk of breast cancer then surely that's a good thing? cancer kills hundrds of thousands of people each year and cures don't work withe veryone. if we know the gene which causes it and we can't offer gene therapy to change that gene then why shouldn't a parents choose to have a child without the gene in the first place?

[Deb]

for me, this isn't an issue.

everyone has a right to a healthy life and if this baby girl doesn't have to worry in the future about the risk of breast cancer then surely that's a good thing? cancer kills hundrds of thousands of people each year and cures don't work withe veryone. if we know the gene which causes it and we can't offer gene therapy to change that gene then why shouldn't a parents choose to have a child without the gene in the first place?

*I* wholeheartedly agree. I think it's progress for medicine and science but the thread can be used to discuss the wide opinions surrounding this. :)

[TheFullEffect]

i think it's a slippery slope. She was born without the inherited genetic form of breast cancer, it doesn't mean she won't or couldn't ever get some form of cancer.

I don't know, part of says well it's great we can reduce the risk ad suffering and so forth and then part of me says well what about everyone else in the world who can't afford to do this?

I think we're collectively reaching this big problem that will be coming soon with private and state funded healthcare. Will this be mandated in order to get healthcare in 20, 30 years? What if people are against this procedure? When I say this procedure I'm speaking more generally about gene therapy and modification.

[notyourcommodity]

this topic sorta hits home for me in a sense, because i have a 'mutated gene' (sounds attractive, huh?!?) called HNPCC. basically it gives you an 8 or 9 out of 10 chance of developing a range of cancers, mainly uterine, bowel, ovarian, etc. my dad has had cancer twice, bowel cancer at 31 and kidney cancer at 47, but he's still doing well.

when i had my genetic counselling and was told that i too had inherited this gene, i was advised that when i have children i can have IVF if i wanted, to avoid my children inheriting the same gene.

but then the more i thought about it - i wouldn't be here if my parents had known and done that. neither would my brother. the great thing about having a defective gene and knowing about it is that i can get tested regularly to make sure i'm ok. i'm having extra ammunition to fight this bad guy, because i know in advance that he may be lurking around the corner. everyone has a chance of getting cancer, it could be lifestyle, genetic, who knows. but i'm doing fine knowing that the risk is there. doesn't stop me living my life!

[Warrior-Maid]

I would rather resources be spent on finding treatments/cures for those suffering now.

This baby girl won't grow up to get breast cancer, but she won't be immune from any other manner of illnesses.

Everyone does have a right to a healthy life, including those in third world countries who purely by place of birth are not so "lucky" to have this choice.

[Mark]

I am fully in favour of this kind of procedure if it is for valid medical reasons. However, if it meanders into the realms of creating 'designer babies' then that is a very dangerous road to travel indeed.

[jason_andrew_relva]

I would rather resources be spent on finding treatments/cures for those suffering now.



But if this kind of treatment can be expanded on and invested in by governments (as oppose to say huge standing armies and excessive military capacity) then there is a foreseeable future where cancer in all forms will no longer be a high risk part of human ageing.

People are suffering now, but a 'cure' for cancer is as far away from modern science as it was in the early part of the last century. Prevention is better than cure.

Perhaps there is a more important question than whether this is ethical; is it practical for universal access?

[Darth Domain]

will there be a master race next?

[jason_andrew_relva]

will there be a master race next?

I'm already here :-p