Eugenics and gene therapy

[SoulMonster]

I know it scares people to death but why shouldn't we allow the genetics of the egg to be modified, based on a very strict set of laws, to eliminate potential congenital health risks so that the benefits can be passed on to future generations?

With the strict set of limitations you apply, I would say: Because we don't have methods that allow us to do this with sufficiently low probability of inadvertantly affecting other genes.

As we develop better techniques for gene therapy, combined with the methods having been tested for a long time in somatic applications and have been shown to work as they should, I am confident germ-line gene therapy will be approved to alter genes for a very few very serious diseases where the genetics is well-understand. And then, as this is shown to work, added to more diseases. This is at least decades into the future.

[Dazey]

....deny and condemn science you don't understand .........

I'm not religious so what you say does not apply to me.

Fixed?

[DieselDaisy]

....deny and condemn science you don't understand .........

I'm not religious so what you say does not apply to me.

Fixed?

I'm not religious. I just hate atheists.

[classicrawker]

....deny and condemn science you don't understand .........

I'm not religious so what you say does not apply to me.

Fixed?

I'm not religious. I just hate atheists.

Hate is a strong word when generalizing and attached to people most of whom you don't know. why do you hate atheists?

[SoulMonster]

This discussion has nothing to do with either religion or atheism, really. I think the main objections to gene therapy is based on ignorance rather than religion. People simply don't understand what it is, what it entails, and its inherent risks and benefits. To help dispel some of this ignorance I thought it a good idea to start a thread where the differences between eugenics and gene therapy could be highlighted. It is sad when these two very different things are lumped together in the muddy minds of ignorant people. It doesn't help anyone, particularly those that can potentially be treated by gene therapy in the future.

And DieselDaisy isn't religious, he is just very fond of Catholicism because it is an integral component of the England he loves, not because Catholicism in itself is a positive. It is about feelings and nostalgia.

[Len Cnut]

This discussion has nothing to do with either religion or atheism, really. I think the main objections to gene therapy is based on ignorance rather than religion. People simply don't understand what it is, what it entails, and its inherent risks and benefits. To help dispel some of this ignorance I thought it a good idea to start a thread where the differences between eugenics and gene therapy could be highlighted. It is sad when these two very different things are lumped together in the muddy minds of ignorant people. It doesn't help anyone, particularly those that can potentially be treated by gene therapy in the future.

And DieselDaisy isn't religious, he is just very fond of Catholicism because it is an integral component of the England he loves, not because Catholicism in itself is a positive. It is about feelings and nostalgia.

and Lord forbid someone have feelings eh?

[DieselDaisy]

Hate is a strong word when generalizing and attached to people most of whom you don't know. why do you hate atheists?

Well I was being rather facetious but arrogant pompous smug atheists do rather piss me off. There is a new brand of atheist who feels like shouting everybody down.

[MB.]

I have a genetic disorder and might have passed it to my kids. Basicly my soft tissue is weak, what leaves me with joint and muscle pain every day. I can't eat large amounts, bladder infections, backpain, sub and dislocations, problems with walking, all kind of annoying stuff and I am not a severe case. I didn't know when I had my kids, allthough I had many issues growing up, but it wasn't a very known condition than. So far only one of my kids has signs. Luckily it's a boy and because their muscles are different, he probably have less problems in the future. I sure whish there was a cure for it and I sure whish it could be cured early on or detected.

Eugenics is horrible, it would mean people like me shouldn't be even born in the first place. Creating a 'perfect' human sounds incredible scary to me.

Gene theraphy is something I am not against if it helps people like me and our kids. Or preventing diseases like cancer, AlS, diabetes. I know their is also a lot of research going on to replace the bad DNA with healthy ones even at an older age, or something like that. That would be awesome for me.

[Amir]

http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/187177/tinder-for-tay-sachs

[SoulMonster]

I have a genetic disorder and might have passed it to my kids. Basicly my soft tissue is weak, what leaves me with joint and muscle pain every day. I can't eat large amounts, bladder infections, backpain, sub and dislocations, problems with walking, all kind of annoying stuff and I am not a severe case. I didn't know when I had my kids, allthough I had many issues growing up, but it wasn't a very known condition than. So far only one of my kids has signs. Luckily it's a boy and because their muscles are different, he probably have less problems in the future. I sure whish there was a cure for it and I sure whish it could be cured early on or detected.

I am sorry to hear this. With gene therapy, I am sure treatment for this condition may be available in the future but it will not be possible to treat adults, only make changes to egg and sperm cells so any offspring from these won't have the genetic disorder. Depending upon whether it is a dominant or a recessive condition, a simpler solution could simply be screening of sperm and egg cells from your children to make sure any eggs and sperm used in fertilization don't have the problematic gene variant to ensure that any kids they may have don't inherit the disorder. This is a simpler solution and already being established for various conditions, but will only work if some germ cells are not carrying the gene variant that causes the disorder so that screening has any purpose. Whether it is available for your disorder today where you live, I can't say.

The good thing is that at some point in time your descendants, not your kids, maybe not your grandkids, but perhaps your grandgrandkids, will not have to suffer with this disorder.

[Len Cnut]

I have a genetic disorder and might have passed it to my kids. Basicly my soft tissue is weak, what leaves me with joint and muscle pain every day. I can't eat large amounts, bladder infections, backpain, sub and dislocations, problems with walking, all kind of annoying stuff and I am not a severe case. I didn't know when I had my kids, allthough I had many issues growing up, but it wasn't a very known condition than. So far only one of my kids has signs. Luckily it's a boy and because their muscles are different, he probably have less problems in the future. I sure whish there was a cure for it and I sure whish it could be cured early on or detected.

Eugenics is horrible, it would mean people like me shouldn't be even born in the first place. Creating a 'perfect' human sounds incredible scary to me.

Gene theraphy is something I am not against if it helps people like me and our kids. Or preventing diseases like cancer, AlS, diabetes. I know their is also a lot of research going on to replace the bad DNA with healthy ones even at an older age, or something like that. That would be awesome for me.

Dont listen to these crazy goose-stepping whore-beasts cuz i loves ya! . Edited January 4, 2016 by Len B'stard

[SoulMonster]

http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-life-and-religion/187177/tinder-for-tay-sachs

Ugh. Tay-Sachs is another of those genetic disorders you don't want to thik too muc about, especially as a daddy. Now I get backflashes from my studies, syndroms, symptoms and images spring to mind.

[Amir]

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1084485/jewish/An-Ounce-of-Prevention.htm

"I once tried to convince a carrier couple not to get married, but they were convinced that their love and compatibility were strong enough to handle the risk. They still have a strong marriage, and several healthy children, but they have buried two children. The husband is the saddest man I know. His tragic experience has made him realize that the greatest and deepest gift to his wife would have been to break the engagement once they learned they were indeed a carrier couple. He now spends his spare time raising money for Dor Yesharim."

People often choose the partners they wish to procreate with based on desirable traits that on some level they wish for their future children to inherit. To me this is just an extension of that.