Best of Miami Portfolios 2001 - Units.muohio.edu

Camilla Hileman—An Explanatory, Exploratory, or Persuasive Essay
The Human Genome Quandary
The man in the black suit solemnly steps out of the car. His wife scrambles to catch up with
his swift pace. She offers an encouraging tone or two, but the man doesn’t listen. He plunges
through the brass, a genetically altered combination of the common bush and grass species, both
eyes set on his house. The next-door neighbors dash over to interrogate the deserted wife. The
neighbors appear instantaneously in hot pink, plastic body suits, with tanks of oxygen attached to
their backs. (This elaborate outfit, for those who may not know, is a common protection against
identity impersonation. The decoding of the human genome inadvertently supplies criminals with
an ideal method to steal another person’s identity; identity thieves need only a single cell from a
person to detect everything about him or her. Body suits, in addition to setting a fashionable trend,
safe-guard against this possibility by trapping all cells within the suit itself.)
The wife struggles to suppress a deluge of tears as she warmly hugs her plastic encased
neighbors. She briefly relates the day’s events. Her husband lost the court case. He was accused of
harboring the gene for prostate cancer, and after a simple genetic test, the accusation was
confirmed. Her husband had twenty-four hours to move into a quarantined house, located in an
abandoned section of the city. He would live there indefinitely with other potential prostate cancer
victims. By isolating all people predisposed to prostate cancer, officials hope to eliminate prostate
cancer from the gene pool. The wife is purely devastated that reality is manifesting itself so harshly
in her life. The neighbors attempt to console her, but they are quite relieved to hear that she has an
upcoming appointment with the family genetic psychiatrist. The wife is in capable, experienced
hands.
Scientists have recently decoded the protein sequence of DNA. This discovery reveals an
array of possibilities. As a prospective scientist, I feel that the Human Genome Project is a
phenomenal accomplishment. This poignant knowledge will affect every single facet of science,
hopefully bouncing a cascade of innovations into motion. At the same time, I also worry about the
societal effects potentially caused by the decoding of the human genome. The opening vignette
described a few of my fears resulting from this late revelation.
Genetic testing will allow patients to be diagnosed immediately with a disease. Illnesses that
have a high survival rate when identified early may soon become obsolete. Patients with a genetic
predisposition for Alzheimer’s may take appropriate steps to keep their mind active. This approach
could delay disease symptoms or even prevent the illness. Genetic testing is destined to save lives.
As scientists and doctors become increasingly fluent in molecular genetics, the possibility
of genetic engineering is introduced. Scientists will soon be able to manipulate the protein bases of
DNA in order to decrease the genetic inclination of becoming afflicted with a certain disease. If
chromosome seven, for instance, has a severe aberration, doctors could tweak the genetic bases to
create a steady foundation for a healthy life.
Clearly the Human Genome Project implies many favorable outcomes, but it also launches
a complex ethical dilemma. People have unique combinations of genes that identify their
individuality. Similar to a fingerprint, no two people have the exact same genetic code for life.
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