Examining the Ethics of Prenatal Genetic Testing

Abstract

With new methods emerging in the field of prenatal genetic testing, it is essential to evaluate the ethical significance and consequence to these discoveries. This thesis explores such topics as: the extent to which genetic screening is utilized, what constitutes “disease” in cultural context, the public opinion of widespread genetic testing, and the ethically-ambiguous nature of newborn organ donation, amongst others. For each of these ethical questions, the issue will be evaluated in its current status, as well as the historical and predicted future utilization. Whenever possible, public opinion polls are integrated to gauge how aware the public is to these new methods, and how our governments could best protect patients and our broader society in this new era of genetic testing capabilities.