Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis
.
My
Stance:
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis
is a great tool. It helps to determine risks and prognosis of diseases such as
Cystic Fibrosis. However, there are some risks, and not all is known yet about
this type of testing. It is for this reason that I believe it should be used,
but with caution.
What
is Preimlantation Genetic Diagnosis?
PGD is a
type of genetic test. According to Webster’s Medical Dictionary, genetic
testing is “Tests done for clinical genetic purposes. Genetic tests may be done
for diverse purposes pertaining to clinical genetics, including the diagnosis
of genetic disease in children and adults; the identification of future disease
risks; the prediction of drug responses; and the detection of risks of disease
to future children.” So, PGD is a test used to determine the risks of future
illness and disease, before the baby is born. PGD is performed after an embryo
has reached the full 8 cell stage. They then remove one cell, which they use
to test for diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis, and other ailments.
This is as
example of an 8 cell embryo, before PGD is performed:
http://www.infertile.com/treatmnt/treats/pgd.htm
The egg and
the sperm are collected, and put on a Petri dish. The following morning the
eggs are examined for fertilization. Once that occurs a cell is removed from the
embryo and is tested. The embryo is still able to grow, and this allows parents to
know whether their child has the gene for any medical conditions, like cystic
fibrosis.
Here is a diagram of the PGD process an embryo goes through
http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3520.htm
Pro/Con
There are reasons both good and bad for
PGD. One pro is that PGD is used to discover
genes for many types of diseases. But, there are risks because Another pro is that it helps determine a child’s risk for
Cystic Fibrosis. However, if too many cells are removed, it could lead to
complications after birth.
History
The following is a brief timeline, illustrating the history
of Cystic Fibrosis:
To find out more information, click
here
Middle Ages-
infants with salty skin, a symptom of Cystic Fibrosis, said to be “bewitched.” Excessive salt in
the skin is a symptom of CF. Excessive amounts of salt can cause abnormal heart
rhythms and shock.
1936- Condition is named as Cystic
Fibrosis, before this the condition had no name. This helped put a name to the
condition many people faced.
1938- First list of Cystic Fibrosis
symptoms is created. This was created by
1953- Sweat test, now the most common test,
is developed after a heat wave occurred in
1968- the first
embryo biopsy was performed on a rabbit. PGD for cystic fibrosis came into play
around the 1980’s. The first human to have PGD performed was in the
Mid 1980’s- PGD for humans first developed
in the
1989- Discovery of the gene for Cystic
Fibrosis, cystic
fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, known as CFTR. A
hospital in
1990-
May 2001-current-About 30,000 Americans are said to have
Cystic Fibrosis, this is according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Human Fertilization and Embryology Act
1990
This act is from
the
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1990/Ukpga_19900037_en_1.htm#tcon
In
the
Video:
The following link
is a video interview done by the NBC station in
Pre-implantation
Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) - Video Clip
The testing is very useful in finding out the risks the baby may or may
not have which the parents may or may not want to go through with the pregnancy
as a result of this information.
Some Questions Raised:
Why is sweat salty in CF patients?
Each
of us has a certain amount of salt within our bodies. Those with more salt then
the normal amount usually have cystic fibrosis
How can diet help CF patients prolong life?
Maintaining
a healthy lifestyle, eating good foods, such as vegetables increases the
person’s life. This is not a cure, it just helps maintain the person’s health
and well being.
Is there any cure for CF patients?
There
is no real cure for CF. Daily treatments such as chest
For more information, click
here
Why
does it matter?
So, why does all this matter to you? It
matters because this will affect the future of medicine and families. This will
cause people to have babies, knowing the risks the child has for CF and other
diseases. This information has led to aiding many in deciding whether to have a
child. Cystic Fibrosis is a serious condition, and some may not want to put
themselves or a child through the difficulty with this type of condition.
However, many people live seemingly normal lives, despite Cystic Fibrosis. The
life-span for those with CF has increased, since the early years, and this has
a lot to do with the medical treatments we now have. I do not think that when a
parent has PGD performed, and finds the child may have CF, it should not
automatically mean they should terminate the pregnancy. PGD
is something that each person should make there own decision in whether it is
okay or not to do. There are too many personal ethical issues involved for me
to say a definite answer as to whether a person should or should not have PGD
performed. One has to come up with their own judgment call as to whether they
would or would not have this testing done.
Miscellaneous
The following are examples of
the projects and assignments Dr Demers had us complete in the process of
creating this website. I also included a link to the course website for you to find
further information on the course, and what the class is about.