Genetics Ethics

An agricultural company has found a way to make tomatoes 50% larger by splicing new genes into the tomatoes. Will you:

• Buy the tomatoes and have no problem eating them

• Probably not buy or eat the tomatoes

• Protest the company. It's not right to fool with mother nature!

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You've found out that the child you (or your wife) carries has the gene for Tay-Sachs. Babies born with this disorder develop brain damage and usually die in childhood. What will you and your spouse do?

• Test the fetus in early pregnancy to see if it has the disease

• Do not test for the disease, because there is nothing that can be done anyway

• Consider alternate reproduction strategies, like adoption or embryo screening.

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Pet cloning is now available from a new biotech company. Your dog, Charlie, died last year but you can choose to clone your pet for about 20,000 dollars. What do you do?

• Find a strand of Charlie's hair as soon as possible. Can't wait to see Charlie again

• Let sleeping dogs lie. (Don't clone Charlie)

• Use the money to donate to a local shelter and get your next pup from a rescue

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A company can now create test tube babies according to parent specifications. The company can make sure that your child has all the traits you desire - hair color, intelligence, athletic ability, etc….. What do you do?

• Sign me up, I want my child to be perfect.

• I'd rather let nature take its course.

• We might adjust some things to make sure the child is healthy (and has no genetic abnormalities)

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Your family is known to have Huntington's disease. Huntington's is a disease that causes its victims to slowly lose their ability to speak, walk and function. Ultimately, Huntington's causes death. There is a test that will tell you whether you have the gene for Huntington's disease. What do you do?

• I would take the test, so that I would be better prepared for the future.

• I would not want to know.

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You learn that you need a kidney transplant, but there are no donors available. A doctor suggests that you make a clone of yourself, so that the kidney would be a perfect match. What do you do?

• One is enough of me, I'll wait for a donor

• Clone myself, two is better than one

A government organization is proposing to have all citizens of the US submit a sample of their hair so that their DNA can be scanned and kept on file. Each person's DNA would be kept in a national database so that police could access the DNA when a crime was committed. Do you?

• Support this legislation

• Oppose this legislation

• Suggest the legislation be modified, only people with criminal records should be scanned.

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8. A company will do a DNA analysis if you submit a saliva sample. The analysis will tell you about genetic abnormalities and connect you with other people you are related to. The test costs $100.00. What do you do?

• I would take the test, I would love to learn about my family

• I would not want to know about relatives

• I would want to know my relatives, but not about genetic abnormalities

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An experimental procedure would allow you to add genes to your body. You can order certain genes, like a smart gene, or an athletic gene, or a musical ability gene. What do you do?

• We would have the procedure done, I'd like to be better in school and at sports.

• We would not have the procedure done, people should accept themselves the way they are

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An insurance company is requiring individuals to get genetic testing performed to determine whether they have a higher risk of heart disease, cancer, or other diseases. They are requiring that all people wanting health insurance be tested. What do you do?

• find another insurance company, that information is none of their business

• submit my DNA for a test, I'd like to know anyway.

• file a lawsuit against the company