This month we begin our in depth look at DNA! We examine the research that has lead to its understanding, its structure, how it is transcribed, and how it is translated. But as our understanding of DNA increases and out technological abilities to manipulate DNA improve, it opens a number of bioethical issues. Below is a link to an article about genetic testing. Please read and leave a comment about how you think your genetic information should be handled.
http://nymag.com/news/features/23andme-2014-4/
I think 23andMe is a fantastic idea. Now, obviously there are some concerns, specifically relating to giving out personal information. Our genetics can be valuable and I’m sure there is some fright in someone knowing exactly how your body operates. The fact that this is also a business making money is also a bit of a turn off. We generally are afraid of these businesses and don’t like the idea of them taking our money. However, considering the current budget in the US, I think this is a fantastic idea. Why? Our government does very little in the way of funding scientific research, especially considering how insanely important it is. Imagine if we could drastically improve the quality of medicine, healthcare cost would drop. So really we should fund this research a lot more. However, because there is a small amount of funding, having a research center double as a business is genius. They can generate their own revenue to put towards more research including improved medicine and cure. Knowing what genetics are in you can also be very valuable in being prepared for your future. If I have a genetic disease that’s going to show up at some point in my life, I want to know that, and I also want them to work on a fast cure. This business does both of those things.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting! I think much of my opinion on bio-ethical issues would vary greatly based on what is being done. My DNA being sold to further research and discovering cures and the like for inherited diseases? Sounds great. I think its a great idea, taking the step that needs to happen that the government doesn't/ can't provide. It's the idea of cloning or copying and transferring one persons DNA to another that I believe to be wrong. Doing that, whether altering our physical appearance or abilities, changes who we are going to be, and if taken to extremes could look very much a different approach to creating an Aryan race. Though the removal of sequences coding for some of the terrible diseases people inherit, that is an interesting topic. I would lean toward approval, so long as it remains only that.
ReplyDelete23andMe has at the very least sparked an important conversation. I think that at some point, mapping genetics and mass collecting genetic information will become an integral part of the health system, so it is important that we think about how it should be handled before that becomes a reality. One point brought up in the article that I found interesting, and probably often overlooked by most, is the impersonality of receiving testing results. What if you get notice that you are extremely predisposed to a serious disease or condition? The FDA is concerned about the fact that there is no one professional, like a counselor, for you to talk to when you receive possibly upsetting information. One solution could be going over results individually and in person; that way, misunderstandings can be prevented, proper support can be offered, and the best ways to proceed from that point can be discussed. In terms of the actual gathering and analysis of genetic information, I don't have a problem with mine being used as data that may to help treat others and myself better in the long term.
ReplyDeleteThis article gives an interesting insight to a lot of the positives of genetic data-base collection, and I think it's an interesting idea to ponder; “what sort of diseases and genetic disorders could we essentially annihilate if everybody provided their genes?” sort of thing. The flip side, however, is that it's a bit disturbing. The common phrase, “has science gone too far?” could easily be applied here. I find it very unnerving that such a large-scale data-base of very personal information could be out there through to means of Google and 23andMe, open to any computer hacker or the government. It should be an individual's responsibility to see if they have genetic defects that they do not want to pass on, not that of a higher level data-base. How can we expect natural selection to take place when it's not very natural at all, given that you can see your future children's other parents genes? Also, where is the surprise in that? I fear that we will, and in some cases already have, gotten the technological power to
ReplyDelete'design-a-baby' the way you want it...Something just seems ethically wrong to me about this whole idea and the ideas branching off it.
In my opinion, 23andMe is a fantastic idea. Many people may have concerns over sharing personal information, but just as the article says, DNA is data, and without data, progress can not occur. Experimenting with human DNA will be the best way to solve human health problems, rather than experimenting with similar DNA from other species. Using human DNA could help solve health issues that seem practically impossible to cure today without such experimentation, such as Parkinson's Disease. In addition, 23andMe seems fairly inexpensive compared to other experimental techniques. This could expedite the process of finding cures to many diseases. Many people may be opposed to the idea of "sharing" their genetic information, but I would suspect that many people would support it like myself. Just like organ donating, many people are for and against it. I think there would be enough people willing to donate some DNA for these important medical purposes. Think about this: How many cures will we eventually find using this technique? Is it possible that we will discover more genetic issues that are unknown today and will be able to cure at a faster rate due to the use of human DNA?
ReplyDelete23andMe is a brilliant idea that could lead to huge advancements in medicine and aid in curing many mysterious diseases; it will undoubtedly become a useful tool for doctors and medical researchers. Imagine if you went to an emergency room and the doctor treating you could look up which painkillers would work best for your broken arm, even if you were unconscious. In addition, I see nothing wrong with collecting the DNA of people; knowing your genetic predispositions is worth the minor breach in privacy that is voluntarily giving a company your information. However, I do think the professionals at 23andMe should clearly disclose what they intend to do with your information, and maybe also send the report to your physician.
ReplyDeleteThis woman is on a good path that could one day help a lot of people, but I don't think something like this will be available anytime soon. She has to produce massive amounts of very reliable data without falter because somebody could use this data engine, but then one tiny mess up could cause a death and then lawsuits would ensue. I can see arguments to every side from every angle that it’s nearly impossible to prove that there’s a “right” way to do this. Many people would want it to be anonymous for them to participate, but what if somebody goes on looking for answers on an extremely rare disease and there’s a person’s data on there that has survived the disease and lived a full life. The sick person looking for answers would want to contact that person, but maybe that person just wants to be left alone. To get the most reliable data, the employees would have to pester the people donating their time and DNA to also show the habitual factors that go into living with a disease or not activating the gene. Overall it’s a great idea that I would wholeheartedly participate in, but I don’t know if it will ever become nearly as big as Google.
ReplyDeleteThis article was quite fascinating because it occurred to me that, if it were to be utilized properly, a large-scale DNA database could potentially be one of the most beneficial resources known to our generation. There are endless discoveries that could be made using this tool, for example, with enough data researchers could hypothetically discover the health risks of every single medication, chemical, food, etc. In fact, if researchers could do this on a general scale, than they could also potentially predetermine the outcome that any individual would have to these substances, based on history and other people’s reactions. I believe 23andme’s idea to provide genetic information is absolutely brilliant, however, I believe the company is misusing the tool; instead of using the product to make profit, the company should hand over the product to a group devoted to discovering genetic patterns throughout history due to substances, behavior, and more. In the right hands, 23andme’s idea could grow to become the most accurate and beneficial health discovery of all time.
ReplyDeleteI find it very interesting that the technology available to us today can allow us to find out what is encoded in our DNA. 23andMe seems like a great company, and their work to help find the genetic causes for some diseases is truly incredible. Surely more people could become more interested in this type of business if it became more publicly known. I understand how some people may not want all of their genetic information “out there” in the world, but maybe the 23andMe would keep everything anonymous to the other donors, and could help be as safe with your information as possible. Wouldn’t it be worth it if we could use the genetic data from hundreds of thousands of people to help understand many of the diseases that plague our society? It’s amazing that 23andMe has already found crucial new information about Parkinson’s disease that could help the millions of people affected by the disease. I also think it would be very interesting to see what the test would say about me. Would the results be scary accurate or ridiculously wrong? If I got information about specific diseases that I may be genetically predisposed to getting, I might be able to either better-prepare myself for them, or be able to do something to protect myself from getting the disease or condition. I hope that 23andMe becomes more widely known, and that their work may be able to develop treatments, and possibly cures, for many serious diseases and conditions.
ReplyDeleteAs someone looking toward a future in medicine, I find this concept intriguing. Of course, in its initial stages, this project would be very expensive for clients, but as technology became more advanced and therefore current techniques cheaper, it would be a more accessible company. This would be really great for prospective parents who may have diseases in their lineage, but is this cheating natural selection? Definitely. But at this point, how much we cheat natural selection probably won't make a huge impact since a simple product like glasses is already outsmarting the natural world. These issues aside, this project could impact our knowledge of diseases and genetics greatly. The statistics gathered from a genetic database would be incredibly insightful, and nothing could match its benefits in those areas. However, this database could be very tempting for hackers to infiltrate, especially those who don't value privacy or anonymity. Furthermore, if the government became the main source of funds for this company, what would stop them from knowing everything about each of us? It's bad enough that they have an excessive amount of information about the people, but could our genetic information get into the wrong hands as well? And what could they do with it? Genetic weapons could be created not just for our own country, but targeting others as well. Handled properly, this could be a very beneficial advancement in our society, but handled incorrectly, it could be very dangerous.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this article about 23andMe. My sister Emily actually went through 23andMe genetic tests and my family has had many dinner conversations about this testing. My mother doesn't like the tests because she thinks they could cause stress and worry if you are at high risk for many things. My dad on the other side likes the testing because it can prepare you for the future. I can definitely see both the good and the bad of this type of testing. It is a relief if you don't have risk for any bad things but if you are at risk for something you may spend your whole life worrying about it. I like the position I’m in because I can see my sisters results and know that they will be very similar to mine but I know that they won’t necessarily be the same. Luckily nothing too bad came up in the tests. She has high odds of Heroin addiction and is “Variant Present” for Cystic Fibrosis but other than that her genes look good! 23andMe is also cool because you get to see Ancestry Composition which I really like to look at.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting. 23andMe is a really good idea, but I am not sure I would want people to have my DNA. If someone hacked into this data base they may steal the information or alter it and use it for something bad. Otherwise I think it is a great idea. I feel like I would like to be warned about possible diseases I may be prone to. So that it will not be as much of a shock later on. Also I would love to see my ancestry, it would be so cool. 23andMe could be very beneficial to the human population if the data collected leads to cures to diseases. However I feel like they were unclear about exactly what they were planning on doing with our DNA; but as long as it is only being used for beneficial research and not for their personal gain it is alright.
ReplyDeleteI've personally seen 32andMe, and it's an interesting program. It's statistical algorithms can provide feedback on what genetic disorders you are prone to. However, there is a major flaw with the program. As expected, public ignorance of the subject of DNA is a huge problem. The site provides your DNAsequence, and supplies information like "23% of people with your gene sequence have X condition." While this is interesting for a geneticist to see, the data is very misleading to people who aren't educated on the subject. I agree that the site should be used to see similarities in genetic disorders, however, I disagree with the idea that the site suggests possible medical advice. If this website was used in tangent with genetic counselors and doctors, then the idea of the project is for benefit. Similarly how WebMD is notorious for diagnosing cancer for most symptoms, 23andMe could mislead people into believing that they are at risk for genetic disorders that they are in fact, unable to get. The data should only be analyzed by people who understand what they are looking at. Other then that, the site could be a huge advancement on understanding the human genome in full.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of a movie I saw called GATTACA. The whole concept of the movie was a future where right at birth, a person’s DNA was examined and they could determine the type of life that person would have as well as when they would die. This also meant parents could pick and chose traits for their children to have. The whole concept seems like science fiction but it is actually very possible. 23andme is a great example. There is now a website where you can send in spit and get results about your life back. This has its benefits. If one knows they are extremely prone to a disease, they could be tested early and take all the necessary precautions. If a pair of adults wanted to know what their babies would look like, they could seek out a website like this. For me, the ethical problem isn’t in knowing about the genes, it’s about controlling the genes. If we come to a point where we can manipulate and change the genes to our liking, then we are crossing ethical boundaries. Living in a world where humans basically create humans is something out of a movie, but it’s obviously a very real concept. Changing DNA is crossing the line of what humans should be able to do, but we are just about to cross it.
ReplyDeleteThe idea behind 23andMe is fantastic. The idea of a database containing genetic information from many people sounds beneficial. As mentioned in the article, the more genetic information in the database, the more research can be done concerning the link between DNA and inherited genetic disorders. With that being said, I can see how some people would love to have their DNA examined, while others would find it very nerve-racking. Some would enjoy knowing what genetic disorders they or their children are at risk for, and others would constantly be stressed over the information.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there are some worries with 23andMe, I think it's a crucial element to have in the future with determining solutions for genetics. Keeping in mind that this program would be public with all of our genetic sequences and information on it, it still deems as a bit iffy. However, due to our country's federal government not funding our scientific research as a whole, as it should, I agree that this could be extremely beneficial to our country's research. With this in process, our country could move forward greatly in medical advances and more people could be saved and benefit from these advances.
ReplyDeleteData from our lives is constantly being collected and analyzed for a variety of purposes, whether it be for government-related secuirity reasons or, most prominently, to market our information to companies so they can sell things to us. While some people may be wary of essentially handing out their personal information with no compensation, unlike the many other ways in which our information is gathered, the services offered by companies like 23andme can actually reap huge benefits to both individuals and the entire human species. The ability to decode so much genetic information puts in the hands of scientists the power to avoid and cure many diseases and disabilities that cause pain and suffering to those who they afflict. For this reason, I would not mind if my genetic information was avaliable to companies, provided that they used it for beneficial purposes, like 23andme's practice of adding genetic information to a bank of data that can be analyzed to benefit customers and patients around the world. As long as my genetic information was left unadulterated and in the hands of well-meaning scientists, considering all the other information that's undoubtedly out there in the world about me, I honestly would not have a problem with a secure company handling my genetic information in an ethical manner.
ReplyDelete23andMe is a remarkable idea which has a lot of potential if done correctly. The idea of stockpiling DNA for research is fantastic, but could be lead to issues if personal data is leaked. In order for this idea to work correctly, the information must be secure from those who are not conducting research. On the other hand, what makes this project so great is that there is so much data now available for continuous research. If I knew that my DNA could solve some of the greatest mysteries in medicine then I would be fine donating it. As long as my information is handled respectfully then I see no reason not to submit my piece of the puzzle that is human genetics. Throughout history the major, thing that has kept scientists from discoveries is a limited amount of concrete data to work off of. This pool of genes could finally allow researchers to cure diseases which have torn through populations. Instead of curing something because it has happened, we could discover and cure a disease even before its gene is switched on. What makes this remarkable, is its potential to streamline the medical industry. This information could allow doctors to truly know their patients which would allow them to get the best care possible. The true question about 23andme is not if it is secure enough, but if the world will accept it. As someone who has seen the devastation of incurable genetic diseases first hand, I hope they do.
ReplyDeleteI think that collecting DNA to find out who is predisposed for what genetic diseases, and to create algorithms to try to solve health problems is a great idea. The future of medicine will be largely based off our increasing knowledge of genetics and this database will be very helpful. However, the people who have access to this information must make sure it is very secure. If we can create an algorithm that shows us the solution to a disease, we can also create an algorithm that that shows us how to make a new, terrible plague that could affect anyone with a certain genotype. Because of this danger it is very important that as medicine advances towards working with genes that the information stays secure.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of collecting human DNA for the purpose of determining predisposition to disease is a good one. However, with it there are some inherent risks. Firstly, like any database, a DNA database is subject to hacking and information can be stolen. The loss of something as valuable as the genetic makeup of people is not something to be taken lightly. With your DNA, it could be possible to make another, almost exact copy of yourself. That’s a little creepy, if you think about it. And so, when genetic testing is conducted on humans, it’s important that it’s treated with a high level of care.
ReplyDeleteWhile I believe 23andMe is a great thing, there are a few things that put me off about it. For starters, one person is profiting from this genetic information being put onto the web, and while it was their idea, I don’t think it is all right for someone to be making money off of someone’s interest in their genetic make-up. I would be okay if the people could pay and that money would go towards research for different drugs to cure diseases or into learning more about something. People could maybe choose where their $99 goes. Another thing that would concern me is that if someone were to hack this website people would know everything about you, and while that might not seem bad, I don’t think I want people being able to see my genetic make up unless it were anonymous to the every-day user. One last concern that comes into play with the popularity of the site is the idea that some people, as the times get more and more advanced, are working to select their offspring’s genetics manually. While this can be done in a lab, this website also now in part gives the ability for random people to choose a surrogate that has a genetic code they want, and call me old fashioned, but it’s the spontaneity of the random genes that make people interesting, and picking genes and isolating them could become a big problem; one that starts with isolating genes that had negative effects.
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