Strengths and Weaknesses of Genetic Testing - Term Paper Example

Strengths and Weaknesses of Genetic Testing No: Strengths and Weaknesses of Genetic Testing Genetic testing examines the DNA molecule for any genetic disease or any illness present in the molecule. Chemical test including the product of gene such as enzymes and proteins also include in the genetic testing. It has the ability to detect the problem precisely and bears a huge potential. Advancements in the field would bring a great future in the medical care. However, some societal responses towards the genetic testing are not entertaining. Genetic testing is basically a most modern technique of checking genetic disorders in which direct enzymes and other proteins have been taken. Genetic testing is used for various reasons that are career screening, pre implantation genetic diagnosis, prenatal diagnostic testing, newborn screening, genealogical DNA test, predictive and pre symptomatic testing, forensic testing and parental testing. There are various types of genetic testing that are newborn screening, diagnostic testing, carrier testing, prenatal testing, pre implantation genetic diagnosis, predictive and pre symptomatic test, forensic testing, parental testing, research testing and pharmacogenomics. Newborn screening test is done just inspection of DNA molecule, proteins and definite metabolites have been taken for the detection of hereditary diseases such as genotypes, mutation and phenotypes. Biochemical tests are also included in genetic testing in which microscopic testing of stained or fluorescent chromosomes and gene product as after the birth of baby for checking genetic disorder phenylketonuria (mental illness) and congenital hypothyroidism (disorder of thyroid gland). Diagnostic test is a genetic testing can be done in a whole life of a person. It is done when physical mutation and its symptoms appear. Carrier testing is done to check in both of the parents who carry genetic mutation and after checking that the tests give information regarding the risk of having a child with the same genetic mutation. Prenatal testing is done before the birth of child. It detects transformations in fetus genes before the birth of child. After this test people gets information regarding the risk to having baby. In addition, after that test they decide whether to give birth to baby or abort. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis is done on human embryos in vitro fertilization process. Predictive and presymptomatic testing is done to check that type of genetic mutations that appear after birth such as cancer (Sequeiros and Guimaraes, 2008). In predictive testing, the tests give information regarding the developing chances of the same mutation, which your ancestors (genes) have but not find in you while testing. In presymptomatic test, the test give information that genetic mutation will appear in the person or not. Forensic tests are done for recognizing the person uses DNA sequences such as for catching the thief and for creating relationships among people e.g. paternity. Parental testing is used for recognizing the similar inheritance pattern among related individual by using DNA markers. Moreover, through these DNA markers u can easily test the parent individually. Research testing is done to know that how genes work. Pharmacognomics test is done for checking the changing in genes after using drugs. A normal human may have 20,000 to 25,000 genes in their genomes. A little mutation in the genes may result in cancer or could be as little as retardation (Imgargano, 2009). Genetic testing has many types. Among these types, the commonly known is the parental genetic testing, which involves the detection of any genetic mutation before the birth of the child. However, the detection method is quite risky and can be a reason for the miscarriage. Introduction: Genetic testing is the possible future tool for the medical care. If advantages are considered, the genetic testing may be a helpful tool in recognizing a person’s coming diseases. In this way, it provides a person to be prepared for the disease and maintain his health accordingly. However, some social and psychological responses towards the matter are harsh. Some of the advantages of the genetic testing are: Strengths of Genetic Testing: Some of the strengths of genetic testing are as follows. Normal test that do not test for the DNA defects do not predicts the future diseases. However, Genetic testing can precisely predict the future diseases or even such diseases that will appear in the children of the examined person. A genetic test would be for a certain definite disease. It identifies the risk of a specific disease. The screening of a newborn involves genetic testing. Diseases such as Phenylketonuria and Congenital hypothyroidism are detected in the newborn and infants by utilizing the genetic testing. It also provides knowledge to the parents that if the child is carrying a genetic disorder inherited by the parents or the child is only a carrier of certain mutated genes (American Association of Clinical Chemistry, 2011). The use of genetic science in the forensic science revolutionized the industry. Before genetic testing traditional methods are improper and much difficulty is associated in finding a suspect (Brestcancer.org, 2011). Now with the help of genetic testing, forensics can tell the relations of the suspect, can detect the crime victims, the description of the disease and the certain carriers of the disease. It can also provide a description of the ancestry. Genetic testing opened many ways for the research and development regarding cancer. The researchers noticed that women are in great risk of getting breast cancer that has a certain mutation in the genes (American Association of Clinical Chemistry, 2011).. Considering a patient who has a confirmed BRCA1gene mutation has a greater chance of getting breast cancer as compared to other women. In this way, genetic testing predicts the situation and the type of genetic testing is presymptomatic testing. Weaknesses of Genetic Testing: Some of the weaknesses of the genetic testing are as follows. Genetic testing involves very little physical pain but the major difficulty in regarding the genetic testing is the acceptability of the genetic testing socially, environmentally, psychologically, economically and emotionally. To resolve these matters one needs a genetic counselor. Genetic counseling may help a person to solve such problems, which are associated with the emotional conditions of a person. Ethical problems regarding the genetic testing are important in discouraging the genetic testing. Social responses towards the genetic testing sometimes are harsh and people try to discourage such the technology. Some religious restrictions also prevent people to take the advantage of the genetic testing. Sometimes genetic testing is avoided as to be sure that nothing comes in the way of a job. As people think that, the genetic testing may affect the job or certain business or may become a hurdle in getting insurance (American Association of Clinical Chemistry, 2011).. However, having knowledge of the disease that may or may not be affecting you is a good tool to lead a healthy life. The test results are kept secret from any other person. While the genetic testing is usually shows the risk of a disease, it will make the person worrying. It is even unable to tell whether the person will have the disease or will remain healthy. In this way, genetic testing lacks a definite answer that is required by most of persons involving the genetic testing. A specific genetic test only predicts a specific disease or particular mutation, while the test lacks the information about the disease it also lacks to identify other diseases or various other mutations, which can be present in the genome of the person. The genetic testing provides a predictive knowledge of the disease; it is unable to provide knowledge about the severity of the mutation or how much severity would there be in order to infect a mutation carrying person (Brestcancer.org, 2011). As the reasons for a particular disease may be that, there are many variations in the genes but the genetic test is unable to allow any exception, it only determines a disease by recognizing only a specific mutation. As the person carrying a mutation of cystic fibrosis may be considered in a severe condition having lungs, stomach or pancreatic difficulties and could also cause calm bronchial abnormalities. Genetic testing may fail if the environment becomes unfavorable, as some of the diseases like coronary heart disease, type two diabetes and obesity may infect a person if the person interacts with a certain environment (Imgargano, 2009). The interaction between the genes and the environment may cause a mutation in the genes and result in such diseases. Social issues are the biggest problems, which may also involve legal issues like utilizing reports of genetic tests in the insurance forms and patient privacy. Genetic testing is quite different from the other type of clinical tests. As clinical test are quite sure about the disease that they tested for and sometimes the complete blood report identifies all the diseases a person has and tells the amount of glucose, amount of white blood corpuscles, etc but the genetic test only predicts the disease that a person may have, it could be severe or could harm a little. References American Association of Clinical Cemistry. (2011). The Universe of Genetic Testing: Pros and Cons of Clinical Genetic Testing. Lab tests online. Retrieved on 7th October 2011 from http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/features/genetics/?start=9 Brestcancer.org. (2011). Seeking your genetic information: pros and cons. Retrieved on 7th October 2011 from http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/genetic/pros_cons.jsp Imgargano. (2009). The Pros And Cons of Genetic Testing. Retrieved on 7th October 2011 from http://www.brighthub.com/science/genetics/articles/24513.aspx (Sequeiros, Jorge and Guimaraes, Bárbara. (2009). Definitions of Genetic Testing. Euro Gentest Network of Excellence Project. Oxford University Press, London. Read More