Реферат: A Look At The Human Genome Project

treatments.” Such an impact on medicine would take much longer to occur with

“hit and miss” tactics, rather than methodically mapping out the blueprint for

the body.

So whether we, as society, want to go forward in this research slowly, or with blazing

speed, scientists will go forward and do what they set out to do. The fact that this

research will benefit humanity is resounding, we just need to remember to handle our

findings in such a manner that benefits all of society, not just those on top of the

economical food chain. Also, persons should be able to decide for themselves if they can

handle knowing what their genetic flaws are. Sometimes knowing you will eventually be

afflicted by a disease can be as emotionally devastating as actually having the disease.

Some states have already enacted laws guarding the rights of individuals genetically

tested . The problem is that most only cover certain procedures and not all of the

testing. Whatever way we govern such testing, we have to realize, will be inefficient by

most standards, as government always is, in complicated situations. I feel that if genetic

information should be public knowledge, then every country using this genetic concept

should provide “blanket insurance” coverage for everyone at the same rate. This

would be the only fair action that would have the common person?s interest in mind,

although it is a socialist concept, people would not be discriminated against and it would

put everyone on a level playing field. Since I don?t see a comprehensive health care

plan in our horizon, we should consider making personal genetic information excluded from

insurance companies, the government, etc., except for the actual treatment of the patient,

which was the original reason that these tests were created. The

reason that I feel genetic information should be totally excluded from insurance companies

is this: Once genetic testing becomes widely available, it would be easy for an insurance

company to require people to submit to a genetic test before they could be covered. If the

person applying is found to be unfit, it could go on his or her insurance “medical

report”, such as a “credit report”, which would blacklist that person from

ever getting coverage. Obviously there is a need for governmental laws to prevent this

from happening. No one can control what genes they will get, and just because you have