[Cheiron]

Following article is background for my question, taken from danish newsarticle.

Get a genetest for 800 dollars !

How big is your risk of getting breast cancer? Are you genetically disposed to develop Alzheimers? Will you turn bald? For about 800 dollars the icelandic company Decode can give you the answer, writes a danish newspaper.

At the companys website it says:

"DeCODEme is a genetic test that reveals what is hiding in your DNA. A simple swab of your mouth gives you the opportunity to know your genetic disposition to develop specific illnesses and health issues - and therefore helps you take informed choices about your health."

Decode is far from the only company that offers genetic analyzis to everybody. Today it is only parts of the whole DNA that can be analyzed, but possibilities grow.

-In one to two years it is estimated that it will be possible to map the whole of your genetic composition for only 800 dollars. It will improve drastically, it will mean an explosive growth in knowledge about illnesses on a very short time, says a danish proffessor Jørgen Kjems from Molecularbiological Institue at Aarhus University to the danish newspaper.

Ethical problems

In the wake of this follows ethical problems, says another professor from Aarhus University, Thomas G. Jensen from Institute of Human Genetics. He is also a member of the danish national Ethical Board and is co-coordinator of a big nordic conference about DNA-tests that is held in january in Aarhus, Denmark.
He admits that genetic analyzis for some illnesses - like breast cancer and Alzheimers - can give more precise predictions.

-But it is terrible if you are unlucky to find out that you have a gene with a disease that just can't be cured. At the same time, the results you get can not only have effects on yourself, but also for your family members health, he says.

False security

Science journalist Robin Engelhardt has used himself as a test person and ordered a gene test at the icelandic companys website.

-I, for instance has a lower risk of lungcancer than others. Therefore I could imagine that I can just keep on smoking. It can give a false sense of security, because you can get lungcancer anyway or die of other associated diseases, he says to a danish radiostation.

[article translated by me, ad lib, from danish national DR1 website]

.... now, .... here is my little ethical dilemma....

Do you want to know you have say a really big chance to get alzheimers?... do you want to know that your kids develop this or that with a likelihood of say 80%?... and how will it affect your life, if you know it? Or is ignorance bliss?

It is possible to know more and more with the rapidly evolving technologies and sciences ... but is all knowledge to wish for? ... we seem to dictate science only in one way: by the commercial benefit it brings, or the necessity of research in specific fields... but... hummm ...

DeCODEme can be ordered on the internet for mentioned amount of money and you get sent a test kit that you perform the swab with yourself, and send back to the company. After analyzis you get your results in email.

There is also the deeply layered drive in us, that David Hilbert, a german mathematician, got carved in his tombstone and is part of my littly ditty at bottom of posts here "We have to know. We will know".

.....afraid of sounding like Hamlet... the question is... but do we wish to know?

Truth or dare?
_________________
Cheiron
______________________________
"Any scientist with respect for himself should start
the day by rejecting his own pet hypotheses".
(Konrad Lorenz)

"Wir müssen wissen
Wir werden wissen"
(David Hilbert)

[Studio 12]

I myself think it is great that we have this technology. It would appear to hold some great benefits medically speaking which I feel is a good thing. If I had the extra cash I may just thinking about having DNA tested. That would think some time to think about. At this point am not to concern about knowing. Maybe some day

My thoughts tend to look toward that global impact. Do we as a global community have the respect for this type of information. Many movies have been made and many books have been written about how this type of information can change society as we now know it.

With looking through history and the different era of technology it seems some where someone has always used that technology for things like war and oppression in one way of another.

As a global community have we learned from this yet? To some degree yes. Enough so this technology is not abused? I would have to say no.
_________________
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic.

[Jade]

the ability to mark the breast cancer gene has been around a long time. Some women with the gene elect to undergo double mastectomies to lessen the odds ( the latest most famous one being Christina Applegate). its not telling you u are gonna develop it but that you prolly have a bigger chance than the lady next to you. Many factors influence the development of every condition/disease.
anway..my prayers to all in pain and may u feel better soon
Jade