Discussion:
Potentialities of the human genome project
Describe two positive potentialities of the human genome project, and one negative possibility. Please expand:
According to this website https://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/home.shtml the goal of the project is to identify the 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA.
There are many positive aspects:
if people have genetic diseases, knowing what genes cause the disease can then be used to administer a gene therapy to replace the defective genes
another benefit would be to parents who want to have children. If one has a genetic disease, then the disease could be passed on to their children. If the human genome is identified, the the parents can map their genetics, and make sure that their children do not inherit the disease.
A negative issue revolved around the fact that everyone can know your genetic makeup. Insurance companies can refuse to insure people if they know that in 50 years they will get cancer. People might not get hired for a job if employers can have access to their genetic makeup. People might be scared to live their life if they know that in 30 years they could get a horrible genetic disease.