One area where genetic technology using DNA works for the benefit of society is medicine. The rapid development of these technologies creates many opportunities for understanding the human body and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The information available through genomic medicine can change many lives, influence different decisions of individuals and hospitals, and transform healthcare. Despite the potential of such technologies, their use raises fears and entails some ethical dilemmas.
Technology and its application quickly evolved, giving different opportunities for medicine. Genetic technologies are used in genetic testing, allowing scientists to determine the genes that a person inherits (“Genetic technologies,” 2018). Previously, genetic testing took place either through molecular testing of nominated single genes or in other ways, such as karyotyping, but now sequencing is faster and more accessible (Horton & Lucassen, 2019). DNA testing can be of great benefit, as it allows scientists to learn more about how genes affect human life. Moreover, testing may contribute to the development of therapies that will consider the patient’s genetic characteristics.
The usefulness of using genetic testing in medicine is in the treatment of many diseases and improving people’s quality of life. For example, knowing about their congenital disease, people can start treatment in advance. If the condition has no cure yet, people can adapt their lifestyle to control it better and make a more balanced decision about their future, including the question of having children. Genetic technologies can also be an essential step in managing diseases for which scientists have been looking for treatment for some time – cancer, HIV, and muscular dystrophy (“Genetic technologies,” 2018). For example, recent studies have shown that sequencing cancer genomes allow the identification of previously unknown mutations (Horton & Lucassen, 2019). Genetic technologies have also been successfully used in tests to remove HIV DNA in mice (“Genetic technologies,” 2018). Improving public health contributes to the development of society, so the integration of genetic technologies has a high potential.
Since genetic technologies are relatively recent inventions, their use in medicine causes controversy in the scientific community. For example, the side effects of genetic interventions are not yet well understood. One should also be careful about diagnoses made based on genetic testing, as they may be inaccurate but affect the treatment of an entire family (Horton & Lucassen, 2019). People may not be ready for what the information received will give them. One can also use genetic disease data against patients; for example, insurance companies will not offer them good service (Genetic technologies, 2018). Moreover, genetic technology raises ethical dilemmas – for instance, to what extent a person can intervene in genetics, how safe such an intervention is, and if it is safe, will access to them aggravate existing inequalities in the world (Genetic technologies, 2018). However, scientifically, with proper regulation, genetic technology can bring many medical benefits and should be supported.
Thus, the integration of genetic technologies in society takes place in medicine, and its pace is relatively rapid despite the recent emergence of technologies. In this field, genetic technologies have the potential to change the whole world. They will improve the treatment and management of genetic diseases and raise the patients’ quality of life. Moreover, genetic technologies can contribute to the search for cures for conditions such as cancer, HIV, and muscular dystrophy. However, genetic medicine is a new and insufficiently studied sphere and therefore causes controversy in the scientific community. Despite existing contradictions from a scientific point of view, it is essential to support the development of genetic technologies to improve the life of society.
References
Genetic technologies and human health. (2018). The Royal Society. Web.
Horton, R. H., & Lucassen, A. M. (2019). Recent developments in genetic/genomic medicine. Clinical Science (London, England: 1979), 133(5), 697–708. Web.