Scientists are also developing techniques to treat and cure genetic diseases through genetic surgery and genetic therapy. They can already identify genetic sequences that are defective, and scientists are working on replacing these defects with properly functioning genes.
Next, I will cover what causes genetic diseases. They arise from a number of causes. The first are single-gene defects. Some of these single-gene diseases are dominant and therefore cannot be masked by a normal gene. An example of this is Huntington's chorea (a fatal disease that strikes in the middle of life and leads to progressive physical and mental deterioration). Other single-gene diseases include sickle-cell anaemia, which leads to the production of malformed red blood cells, and cystic fibrosis, which leads to a malfunction of the respiratory and digestive systems.
Another major cause of genetic disease is chromosomal abnormalities. Some diseases result from an additional chromosome. Down's syndrome is caused by trisomy-21 (three chromosomes at chromosome twenty-one). Klinefelter's syndrome results from the addition of an extra X chromosome (these men have a chromosome pattern that is XXY).
Now for the topic of designer babies. Advanced reproductive technologies now allow parents and doctors to screen for disorders and select healthy embryos, before the child is born. Advanced reproductive techniques involve using In Vitro Fertilisation or to fertilise eggs with sperm in 'test-tubes' outside the mother's body in a laboratory. These techniques allow doctors and parents to reduce the chance that a child will be born with a genetic disorder.
At the moment it is only legally possible to carry out two types of advanced reproductive technologies on humans. The first involves choosing the type of sperm that will fertilise an egg: this is used to determine the sex and the of the baby. The second technique screens embryos for a genetic disease: only selected embryos are implanted back into the mother's womb. This is called Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD).It is also legal to modify the faulty genes in the cells of a grown child or an adult to cure diseases like - this is called body cell .
Genetic engineering offers the promise of eventually treating and curing these genetic defects. Although this is a promise in the future, we are already involved in genetics and the significant ethical concerns it presents. I believe, that genetic engineering should only be used to cure diseases, but not to enhance certain characteristics. I think it is wrong for parents choose the sex of a baby, as the technology that is used for the process, should be used for parents hoping for a baby which doesn’t have a certain genetic defect.
If used correctly, this technology will be a huge step forward in biological-science, and medicine. Being able to cure diseases such as cancer and CF, will save millions of lives each year, if possible (and legalised). Though many religions will not like this relatively new technology, it will save many innocent lives, so it will be for a good cause.
