--- Jon Gabriel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >Ronn! Blankenship <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: [I wrote:] <snip> > >> To open another COW, what do we do about > conditions which have genetic causes? > > > >Shades of _Gattaca_... > > Or of Heart of the Comet. I'm sure the Percells > would agree that > eliminating disease didn't solve their problems. > > >> If a young person tests positive for > >> Huntingdon's disease, do we > >> sterilize that person before puberty so they won't > >> pass along the bad genes > >> and then offer them euthanasia when the symptoms > >> start in their 40s? How > >> about children with hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, > or Down's syndrome? (And > >> how about their parents?) Mandatory prenatal > >> genetic screening followed by > >> mandatory abortion if the fetus is not "perfect"? > >> And if so, where do we > >> draw the line on what is considered a genetic > >> "disease"? Homosexuality? Below-normal > >> intelligence? Above-normal intelligence? > > > >Now you're talking social engineering (if I > understand > >the term correctly), which is quite beyond 'trying > to reduce medical costs.' > > Re: Social engineering issues > > These are all issues which will no doubt be raised > and debated to death > in forums way before they reach the point where we > will be able to do anything about them. > > Cystic Fibrosis, Huntingdon's, Tay-Sachs, Hemophilia > and Down's Syndrome > are considered severe diseases by the medical > community. Since tests > currently exist to detect the possibility of passing > on these defects to > one's offspring for all of the above, we can > probably assume that if > cures become available (through genetic > manipulation) they will be offered to the masses.
Well, single-gene defects like "bubble boy disease" (severe combined immune deficiency) are under experimental 'attack' even as we speak (that protocol was temporarily halted when one of the ~9 boys developed leukemia, but oversight panel(s) have since reinstated the trial) - so the time for discussion is now. A chromosomal mutation like Down's (trisomy 21), on the other hand, doesn't appear amenable (to me) to gene therapy, although it is discoverable if chorionic villi sampling or amniocentesis are done; I know what my choice would be, but I would not impose that on another. <serious> > I think the key word here is "offered". Most >...theories on this subject, IMO, seem paranoid... > like our culture will force cures...[on] people... > If a _communicable_ disease threatens large > population groups then we can > logically expect to see vaccines and cures become > mandatory by law. As is the case with school vaccines (although parents can, in many states IIRC, opt out b/c of religious beliefs), and treatment for tuberculosis is also mandated (at least in the states I've worked in). > ...But, when a disease affects specific groups and is > non-communicable except from parent to child through > genetics, then IMO > such mandatory laws are highly unlikely to be > enacted. Probably not, although courts do become involved in the treatment of minors. But what parent would not want a cure for such devastating diseases? Who would not want their child to participate freely in academics and sports, live to 'old' adulthood, be able to have healthy children? <grimace> Of course there are parents who refuse treatment even today for quite treatable conditions (diabetes, meningitis, appendicitis to name a few - see http://www.rickross.com/reference/firstborn/firstborn16.html?FACTNet). While I respect the right of an adult 'consciencious objecter' to refuse life-saving treatment, I have a much harder time saying, "Well, Darwin at work!" when a child is suffering (frex, dying of a ruptured appendix is *quite* painful, and an otherwise healthy kid might hang on for days). If the condition is not painful, or the child is unable to feel anything (comatose, frex), then - <sigh> I'd have to take it on a case-by-case basis. I certainly do not advocate futile treatment, for children or adults. Ah - sorry for the digression. > AFAIK, Homosexuality and Low/High IQ's are not > recognized in the medical community as diseases. Not as such. They may cause real problems for the individual, but so can being short, or red-headed. [Kids will find _something_ to rag on each other about - which is why my mother harped to me: "How would YOU feel if somebody laughed at you, because you have moles?" Fear and guilt, indeed... :) ] > Mental retardation is, but I'm not sure the > causes are usually genetic. Isn't the brain damage > most frequently > caused by oxygen deprivation as a result of > drug/alcohol use during > pregnancy or complications during birth? I think it's more multi-causal than that (although hypoxia is absolutely a potential brain-hammer; I say potential because _all_ vaginal births involve a certain amount of hypoxia, which we all have obviously survived). I'll try to look into this in the next couple of weeks [still have a looong post to finish for Dan! :) ] And there is NO safe level of alcohol in the first trimester AFAIK; tobacco and street drugs are definitely harmful, but not through hypoxic mechanisms IIRC. <snippage> > > >In the not-to-distant future, we will be able to > >prevent or treat many if not all of the diseases > >mentioned. While I applaud elimination of needless > >suffering, I do not like the idea of > >"custom-designing" a child to be a blue-eyed, > >red-headed 6' 7" basketball player who paints and > >likes pythons. Will we tinker with our genes? > >Probably. > > All it will take is one Percell-style mistake for > any such project to > fold, permanently. I doubt that will prevent > mankind from making an attempt, though. > > Jon > GSV How *much* does he like pythons? > "OK, you can love your pets, but not LOOOVE your > pets!" > ~Jeaneane Garafolo / The Truth About Cats & Dogs <LOL> Either my funny bone is awfully sensitive today, or the list is especially witty. I thought that movie was hysterical, BTW! Mayhap There Is A Touch Of Sleep Deprivation Involved? Maru __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
