Could too much genetic testing lead to a society obsessed with creating a Hitlerian master race?
It is possible that too much genetic testing could have very negative consequences. Privacy invasion or many forms of discrimination based on genetic testing present real threats to our society.
Some argue that too much information from genetic
testing could intrude on privacy rights. People would learn about genetic diseases they
might have in the future but they may not want to know if
the diseases are incurable or fatal. For example, a 1999 study found that 1
percent of people who were told they would develop Huntington's disease
tried to commit suicide or developed psychiatric conditions. (27) Even
if people do want their genomes sequenced, having their genomes on file
electronically comes with the danger of unauthorized poking around and
testing, leading to legal consequences and personal damaging,
especially if it uncovers the identities or sensitive private information. Genetic testing might cause discrimination in health insurance or employment. Should genetic
testing be performed on infants or children, as they might be against testing when they
grow older? After all, children and babies have their privacy rights
too! Also, genetic testing in embryos could lead to a eugenic-crazed
Hitlerian society. Parents might decide to reproduce only under the condition that their children would have desirable genes. We need to have a DNA testing policy that puts everyone's privacy first. Excessive testing
of genes would lead to a society where everyone's identity is solely
based on their genes- this is debasing and degrading to human beings. (41)
|  This cartoon pokes fun at a serious issue, the possibility of discrimination based on genetics. |
