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WorksheetsEthical Dilemmas in Genetic Engineering
Total questions: 8
Worksheet time: 12mins
You've found out that the child you (or your wife) carries has the gene for dwarfism. A new therapy exists that may repair this gene before the child is born.
What do you do?
Attempt the new therapy to repair the gene.
Allow the child to be born with the gene, as they are
I am undecided/have another opinion.
An agricultural company has found a way to make watermelons 50% larger by splicing elephant genes into the watermelons.
What would you do?
Buy the watermelons and have no problem eating them.
Probably not buy or eat the watermelons.
I am undecided/have another opinion.
Pet cloning is now available at your local mall. You used to have a pet dog named Charlie, but he died two years ago. Now you learn that you can get a new Charlie by just bringing in a sample of his hair.
What do you do?
Find a strand of Charlie’s hair as soon as possible to bring in for cloning!
Ignore the possibility and never consider cloning Charlie.
I am undecided/have another opinion.
A company can now alter the genes of babies according to parent specifications. They 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.
I am undecided/have another opinion.
Your family is known to have Huntington's disease. The symptoms do not usually appear until the person is in their 40's. There is a test that will tell you if you have the gene
for Huntington's disease.
What do you do?
I would take the test so I would be better prepared for the future.
I would prefer not to know and would not take the test.
I am undecided/have another opinion.
Cloning technology has been perfected. A clone can be made from adult tissue samples!
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?
Clone myself. Two is better than one.
One of me is enough. I’d wait for a donor.
I am undecided/have another opinion.
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 from anywhere can access the DNA database when a crime is committed.
What would you do?
Support the legislation and give them a sample of your DNA.
Oppose the legislation and not give them a sample.
I am undecided/have another opinion.
An experimental procedure would allow you to add genes to your body. You can order certain genes, like an athletic gene or a musical ability gene.
What do you do?
I would have the procedure done.
I would not have the procedure done.
I am undecided/have another opinion.
