Introduction to social work - Essay Example

Would you want to be tested at an early age to obtain information as to which inherited diseases you are likely to have as you go through life? Why or why not? Yes, I would want to be tested for inherited disease at an early age. The reason for this is simple: I could then make changes to my lifestyle to lessen my chances of suffering from a disease. Some people might say that it is wrong to test for diseases early on in life, but I think that it should be acceptable if only genetics are taken into account.

Some people have a history of a particular disease, such as heart disease, and so it makes sense to test for that before a problem arises. Of course, no one can know for sure if they will contract a disease later in life, but at least they can find out the probabilities of it. I believe that most people would take precautions in life if they knew that their genetics can play a role in what diseases they are likely to suffer from. If I knew about some of my inherited diseases that I would likely suffer from during my life then I would change my lifestyle to reduce the risks.

I would have to draw the line at checking for inherited diseases though because I feel that it is unethical to check for diseases that are not inherited. These types of diseases are contracted more through lifestyle, but it is still possible to check for them at an early stage in life. With advances in technology, it will become possible to check for diseases that could never previously be found; this will create some advantages but also some negatives too."Genetic testing and disease: Would you want to know?

" by Janice Lloyd of USA Today For Kristen Powers, an 18-year-old North Carolina woman, Huntingtons disease is a real possibility. Along with her younger brother Nate, Kristen has an even chance of inheriting the disease after their mom died from the disease at the age of 45 in 2011 (Lloyd, 2012). Whereas Kristen is prepared to undergo testing, her 16-year-old brother is unsure whether he wants to find out if Huntingtons disease will affect him at some stage during his life. The law states that only people aged 18 or older can be tested; this is because a positive result can be life-shattering news and also some level of maturity is required to make such an important decision (Lloyd, 2012).

The chance to predict future diseases only became possible due to the Human Genome Project in 2003, which allowed researchers to identify key genes that contribute towards diseases (Lloyd, 2012). The process of testing for inherited diseases is still relatively new, and not everyone agrees from a moral standpoint that it is the right thing to do. Some people are of the opinion that we should live life as if we dont know what will happen in the future. Kristen wants to find out whether she has Huntingtons disease or not so she can make plans for her long-term future; she has decided not to start a family if her test proves to be positive.

Even among the scientific community there are a range of opinions about whether people should be tested for inherited diseases or not. ReferenceLloyd, Janice. (2012, April 23). Genetic testing and disease: Would you want to know? USA Today. Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/story/2012-04- 09/genetic-testing-huntingtons-disease/54475708/1