Strengths and Weaknesses of Genetic Testing Term Paper

Strengths and Weaknesses of Genetic Testing - Term Paper Example It has the ability to detect the problem precisely and bears a huge potential. Advancements in the field would bring a great future in the medical care. However, some societal responses towards the genetic testing are not entertaining. Genetic testing is basically a most modern technique of checking genetic disorders in which direct enzymes and other proteins have been taken. Genetic testing is used for various reasons that are career screening, pre implantation genetic diagnosis, prenatal diagnostic testing, newborn screening, genealogical DNA test, predictive and pre symptomatic testing, forensic testing and parental testing. There are various types of genetic testing that are newborn screening, diagnostic testing, carrier testing, prenatal testing, pre implantation genetic diagnosis, predictive and pre symptomatic test, forensic testing, parental testing, research testing and pharmacogenomics. Newborn screening test is done just inspection of DNA molecule, proteins and definite metabolites have been taken for the detection of hereditary diseases such as genotypes, mutation and phenotypes. Biochemical tests are also included in genetic testing in which microscopic testing of stained or fluorescent chromosomes and gene product as after the birth of baby for checking genetic disorder phenylketonuria (mental illness) and congenital hypothyroidism (disorder of thyroid gland). Diagnostic test is a genetic testing can be done in a whole life of a person. It is done when physical mutation and its symptoms appear. Carrier testing is done to check in both of the parents who carry genetic mutation and after checking that the tests give information regarding the risk of having a child with the same genetic mutation. Prenatal testing is done before the birth of child. It detects transformations in fetus genes before the birth of child. After this test people gets information regarding the risk to having baby. In addition, after that test they decide whether to give birth to baby or abort. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis is done on human embryos in vitro fertilization process. Predictive and presymptomatic testing is done to check that type of genetic mutations that appear after birth such as cancer (Sequeiros and Guimaraes, 2008). In predictive testing, the tests give information regarding the developing chances of the same mutation, which your ancestors (genes) have but not find in you while testing. In presymptomatic test, the test give information that genetic mutation will appear in the person or not. Forensic tests are done for recognizing the person uses DNA sequences such as for catching the thief and for creating relationships among people e.g. paternity. Parental testing is used for recognizing the similar inheritance pattern among related individual by using DNA markers. Moreover, through these DNA markers u can easily test the parent individually. Re search testing is done to know that how genes work. Pharmacognomics test is done for checking the changing in genes after using drugs. A normal human may have 20,000 to 25,000 genes in their genomes. A little mutation in the genes may result in cancer or could be as little as retardation (Imgargano, 2009). Genetic testing has many types. Among these types, the commonly known is the parental genetic testing, which involves the detection of any genetic mutation before the birth of the child. However, the detection method is quite risky and can be a reason for the miscarriage. Introduction: Genetic testing is the possible future tool for the medical care. If advantages are considered, the genetic testing may be a helpful tool in recognizing a person’