The human genetic structure can now be sequenced and mapped in its entirety, a significant advance in science and human understanding. The cost of an analysis has plummeted during the past two decades, and it is now possible to request this information online. The details provided reveal the presence of specific characteristics, as well as inherited disease potential. Genomics companies are not only informative, but also controversial.
The original Human Genome Project coalesced during the 1980s, and is the basis of current analysis methods. There was a scientific race to be the first to map this genome in its entirety, and that competition instigated rapid advances. Today, partial or full genome sequencing allows individuals to not only gain insight into inherited personality or physical traits, and details the proven risks of predisposition to illnesses such as cancer.
A personal analysis cannot answer every question sparked by the information contained in those genes, but does provide more genetic information than has ever been available previously. For many people, that analysis provides a window into their own personality and physical health, and creates greater understanding of the influences that inheritance exerts. While useful, this information may have unintended consequences.
The most obvious benefits are in the medical field. Most people have a little knowledge regarding the physical problems experienced by parents or grandparents, and knowing whether or not those weaknesses were passed on can make prediction and treatment of certain illnesses more effective. Over time, the accumulated results can be compiled in a database, giving both doctors and patients greater insight.
Although a test is not a diagnosis, it does have the potential to disrupt. If a report indicates an increased likelihood of developing a particular disease, healthy people can take a more proactive approach to managing their own well-being. Knowing more about possible reactions helps doctors more accurately prescribe medications, or to screen at-risk patients more often. This personalized approach is both effective and efficient.
In addition to the medical advantages, there are social benefits that become more obvious to people now able to widely share their own experiences. Being able to contact others who face similar issues provides a better basis of support for those struggling to cope with illness. While this can be a real advantage, some scientists worry that the information will be used to stigmatize or profile people.
Even as the technology advances, personal gene sequencing has spotlighted privacy issues. The ideal solution would be to protect significant databases from outside scrutiny, an unrealistic goal today. It is now possible to gain vast amounts of personal knowledge from the residue left by a human touch. The results can not only reveal physical characteristics, including race, but commonly implicate people in crimes.
The challenge for genetic information companies today it to provide critical personal information without generating discrimination based primarily on potential or probability. Laws have already been enacted to prevent employers from using genetics to screen new applicants. While the potential health benefits of genetic mapping are enormous and far-reaching, preventing abuses of this technology is of equal importance.
The original Human Genome Project coalesced during the 1980s, and is the basis of current analysis methods. There was a scientific race to be the first to map this genome in its entirety, and that competition instigated rapid advances. Today, partial or full genome sequencing allows individuals to not only gain insight into inherited personality or physical traits, and details the proven risks of predisposition to illnesses such as cancer.
A personal analysis cannot answer every question sparked by the information contained in those genes, but does provide more genetic information than has ever been available previously. For many people, that analysis provides a window into their own personality and physical health, and creates greater understanding of the influences that inheritance exerts. While useful, this information may have unintended consequences.
The most obvious benefits are in the medical field. Most people have a little knowledge regarding the physical problems experienced by parents or grandparents, and knowing whether or not those weaknesses were passed on can make prediction and treatment of certain illnesses more effective. Over time, the accumulated results can be compiled in a database, giving both doctors and patients greater insight.
Although a test is not a diagnosis, it does have the potential to disrupt. If a report indicates an increased likelihood of developing a particular disease, healthy people can take a more proactive approach to managing their own well-being. Knowing more about possible reactions helps doctors more accurately prescribe medications, or to screen at-risk patients more often. This personalized approach is both effective and efficient.
In addition to the medical advantages, there are social benefits that become more obvious to people now able to widely share their own experiences. Being able to contact others who face similar issues provides a better basis of support for those struggling to cope with illness. While this can be a real advantage, some scientists worry that the information will be used to stigmatize or profile people.
Even as the technology advances, personal gene sequencing has spotlighted privacy issues. The ideal solution would be to protect significant databases from outside scrutiny, an unrealistic goal today. It is now possible to gain vast amounts of personal knowledge from the residue left by a human touch. The results can not only reveal physical characteristics, including race, but commonly implicate people in crimes.
The challenge for genetic information companies today it to provide critical personal information without generating discrimination based primarily on potential or probability. Laws have already been enacted to prevent employers from using genetics to screen new applicants. While the potential health benefits of genetic mapping are enormous and far-reaching, preventing abuses of this technology is of equal importance.
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