My Two Dads? Moms? − 21 February, 2008

Scientists in Great Britain have mixed the genes of 3 parents in order to “swap” faulty disease-causing genes for good ones. Though, I totally agree with trying to prevent/correct disease so that no one suffers (particularly an innocent child) if we can do something about it, the idea is also a little frightening to me.
It smacks of Gattaca-like Eugenicists manipulating genes to create the perfect race – blond hair, blue eyes and perfect. I mean, I personally would like to be perfect, but I don’t know that it is such a good idea. Variety is the spice of life. A large gene pool is necessary for the evolutionary success of a species.
It’s not like picking an exterior/interior color combination for your new car – it’s a little Mad Scientist to me. Once the line is drawn, people will cross it, and who is to define the “line” anyway?
Obviously, the benefit to eradicate genetic disease is a powerful, positive motivator, I just see such power being wielded frivolously or with questionable intentions. Such power can be misused so easily.
And of course there are other ethical questions that will be raised – who are the real parents? The ones who contributed the higher percentage of genetic material? And for the parent who contributed a lower percentage – do they have any rights at all or are they just the “band-aid” that fixed the genetic abnormality? These are all things that will eventually come up, I am sure, given human nature. And what about the child? Visions of the old TV show My Two Dads comes to mind. Life isn’t a half-hour sitcom, though, and I am sure ethical questions will not be resolved as pleasantly as they were on the show.
And a bigger question: will we be creating more or worse problems with this “solution”?
We are really babes in the woods when it comes to science and medicine – genetic science is still really in it’s infancy, and I don’t think we know enough to justify playing around with things quite yet. It’s like a toddler playing with fire…
So I have mixed feelings about it. I applaud the brilliant scientists that are trying to figure this all out and I am thrilled that their hard work may result in helping untold numbers of people from suffering, but I am also wary about where this path may eventually lead.
It may be where angels fear to tread…

Posted on February 21, 2008. and has been viewed 299 times.