Through cell cloning, however, scientists could make multiple copies of the embryo they wish to modify, increasing the genetic surgical success rate. Indeed, cellular cloning seems to hold the key to the successful genetic engineering of humans. Suppose parents wish to eliminate the predisposition to alcoholism. Questions and Guidelines Reproductive and genetic technologies are opening new medical and moral frontiers, urging us to think in new ways. As the level of medical diagnosis and treatment shifts from bodies and bones to cells and chromosomes, the level of ethical consideration must do the same.
Some people undergo genetic screening simply to know their predisposition to a particular disease.
Others may hope to fix that predisposition. Care must be taken to ensure that patients understand this rift between diagnosis and treatment and that their expectations of the testing are realistic. Since it became possible to test for the Huntington's gene, fewer than 15 percent of those at risk have taken the test, even when it was offered free of charge. Most would rather not know. Anne, like many of us, is reluctant to find out about an inevitable future.