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Wow how awful a whole group of people are to become near extinct because of a test and abortions.
Quote:
Last month, San Diego-based Sequenom released a test that allows doctors to screen for the most prevalent type of Down syndrome with only a blood test from the mother. The screening is available in 20 cities and is expected to hit New York soon. Two other companies have plans to release similar tests next year.
“What you end up having is a world without people with Down syndrome,” says Paul Root Wolpe, director of the center for ethics at Emory University. “And the question becomes is that a good thing or bad thing?”
This is just a refinement of amniocentesis which has been used for several decades now to screen for Down's among other genetic abnormalities, as mentioned in the story.
That hasn't meant the end of Down's, which is caused by a chromosomal flaw. The likelihood of delivering a child with Down's increases after the mother reaches 35 so amnio is pretty much done with those patients 100%.
As far as eugenics goes, isn't that happening now with the quoted figure of 92% of women whose fetuses test positive for Down's undergoing an abortion?
The greater sociological implication is that since Down's is a handicapping condition, with sufferers ranging from mildly to profoundly retarded, should positive tests be encouraged or required to abort the fetus. This is while keeping in mind that sufferers from moderately to profoundly retarded generally require lifetime care.
It is a simple question for most people, but one they struggle with, understandably. One poster said 92% abort, once they discover the child will have downs syndrome. That is understandable.
amniocentesis carries a risk of causing abortion, and is therefore refused by some expectant mothers...this blood test is waaaay less invasive and will most likely result in a good many more abortions of "defective" children.......sad in a way.
This is just a refinement of amniocentesis which has been used for several decades now to screen for Down's among other genetic abnormalities, as mentioned in the story.
That hasn't meant the end of Down's, which is caused by a chromosomal flaw. The likelihood of delivering a child with Down's increases after the mother reaches 35 so amnio is pretty much done with those patients 100%.
As far as eugenics goes, isn't that happening now with the quoted figure of 92% of women whose fetuses test positive for Down's undergoing an abortion?
The greater sociological implication is that since Down's is a handicapping condition, with sufferers ranging from mildly to profoundly retarded, should positive tests be encouraged or required to abort the fetus. This is while keeping in mind that sufferers from moderately to profoundly retarded generally require lifetime care.
However, such practices won't end there. With such superficial people, don't be surprised if they also start testing for hair/eye color or minor defects most people can live a normal life with.
So people should have a baby with a profound disability requiring significant medical, financial, and parental resources...while society as a whole is telling people they don't want to help people provide for those with that type of disability?
Yeah right. People get to have a say in what to do when they help me with the consequences of forcing that decision.
It's easy to tell people what they think others should do, and skip away leaving others to hold the bag. That's not responsibility.
So people should have a baby with a profound disability requiring significant medical, financial, and parental resources...while society as a whole is telling people they don't want to help people provide for those with that type of disability?
Yeah right. People get to have a say in what to do when they help me with the consequences of forcing that decision.
It's easy to tell people what they think others should do, and skip away leaving others to hold the bag. That's not responsibility.
So people should have a baby with a profound disability requiring significant medical, financial, and parental resources...while society as a whole is telling people they don't want to help people provide for those with that type of disability?
Yeah right. People get to have a say in what to do when they help me with the consequences of forcing that decision.
It's easy to tell people what they think others should do, and skip away leaving others to hold the bag. That's not responsibility.
Do you care for a child with a severe disability that inhibits or prevents them from ever caring for themselves?
If not, I suggest you go adopt one and then give us your opinion after a few years of caring for them, realizing that it will never end, and when it does end, you'll be dead, and they'll be left to live in an institution where they'll receive all forms of abuse and torture depending on the caregivers.
Do you care for a child with a severe disability that inhibits or prevents them from ever caring for themselves?
If not, I suggest you go adopt one and then give us your opinion after a few years of caring for them, realizing that it will never end, and when it does end, you'll be dead, and they'll be left to live in an institution where they'll receive all forms of abuse and torture depending on the caregivers.
Yeah, let us know.
I have a sister who was born weighing under 2 lbs and born at 6 months. Physically she is fine but her social development is somewhat stunted. Yet she finished college and has a job.
I'm not trying to pass judgment I understand caring for such a child is difficult on many levels it just seems sad that's all.
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