PRENATAL TESTING FOR DOWN SYNDROME debate
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Los Angeles Mission College *
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434
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Philosophy
Date
Jan 9, 2024
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docx
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Week 3 Scenario and Reflection Essay
As concerns are raised that advances in prenatal genetic testing are leading us down the path of eugenics, Dr. Catherine Williams and Juan Garcia exchange views on the use of a blood test during the first trimester of pregnancy to screen for Down syndrome. Dr. Williams contends that the test will be able to provide parents with information and more options in general. Being that Down syndrome can cause many years of pain and frustration, along with the possibility of physical abnormalities such as cognitive impairment and heart or respiratory problems, it can grant parents the chance to raise a healthier child. Also bearing in mind that the test is very low risk and almost 100% accurate, Williams argues that there's no reason why one should view this practice as unethical (Tosh, n.d.). Contrarily, Juan Garcia believes that many children with Down
syndrome mature into healthy adults who do not suffer from the health conditions mentioned by Dr. Williams. Furthermore, as there is no treatment for Down syndrome, the "opportunity to raise a healthier child" entails an abortion following a positive blood test. Garcia claims that by promoting this test, we approach a gray area in which we engineer human development based on a subjective evaluation of what constitutes a "better" individual (Tosh, n.d.)
In my opinion, both parties presented appealing arguments, though I found Dr. Williams' grounds to be a stronger one. I did talk about in this week’s discussion how I’d personally consider going through genetic screening if I ever become a parent to allow myself to better prepare for my child and our situation. So, prior to viewing the scenario, I had already established my stand on the issue. During pregnancy, women commonly undergo blood tests for other purposes, so I do not see why this would be unethical. I am in no way implying that all children should not be cherished as they are, but some parents are simply unprepared to care for
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a child with Down syndrome. If they are able to know this information in advance, then they can better prepare themselves as well as educate themselves regarding the condition. Out of the four responses offered in the scenario, I think option A is the most ethical. I think this response relates closely to the ethical theory of Kant. The focus of Kantian ethics is not
on consequences but rather on the physician's obligation to do what is right, "pure will" (Pence, 2021, p. 12). The physician has an obligation to provide as much pertinent information as possible to the parents, regardless of what the physician believes the parents will do with the information. The only universally applicable rule in Kantian ethics is to "always tell patients the truth" (Pence, 2021, p. 12). I believe that the topic of abortion is irrelevant to this discussion because only the parents of the expectant child can decide what will happen to their child. I believe that denying parents access to the blood test deprives them of valuable information and hinders the physician's ability to perform his or her duties.
Upon examining both sides, I think expecting parents should have access to a blood test to find out if their child has Down syndrome. I hold that every kid should be cherished and cared for regardless of their genetic makeup, but it is ultimately the parent's choice to perform the test. I do not see it as unethical to offer this test to expecting parents as an option. Whether they choose to take the examination or not is their choice, but it should be made available. If one is prepared and well-informed about what to anticipate, then this may make things less complicated. Should the parents decide to terminate the pregnancy, that is their decision, and no one but the parents ought to have a say in the matter.
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References
Pence, G. (2021). Medical ethics: Accounts of ground-breaking cases
(9th ed.). McGraw Hill Education.
Tosh, N. (n.d.-a). Annual ethics symposium: Evolving ethics: Debating prenatal testing
[Video]. Canvas@WCU. https://canvas.westcoastuniversity.edu/
Tosh, N. (n.d.-b). Week 3: Eugenics and human genetics - presentation
[Video]. Canvas@WCU.
https://canvas.westcoastuniversity.edu/
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