The Political Implications of Human Genetic Technology
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Westview Special Studies in Science, Technology, and Public Policy
The Political Implications of Human Genetic Technology
Robert H. Blank
Human genetic technology has advanced rapidly in recent years to the point where amniocentesis is commonplace and in vitro fertilization has been successful. On the horizon looms the specter of human cloning and genetic engineering, raising a storm of new moral and ethical questions.
These questions, asserts the author, are not the only ones to be considered; the impact and role of public policy are equally critical. What part should the state play in human genetic intervention? To what extent does a democratic society have the duty to take steps to reduce genetic disease and improve the quality of life through genetic engineering? If society has such responsibility, at what stage does societal good preempt individual rights? What is society's obligation toward future generations and is genetic manipulation justifiable on these grounds? After surveying the state of the art, the author grapples with these questions, contending that decisions ultimately will not be based on ethical and moral grounds they will be fought out in the political arena.
Robert H. Blank is professor and chairman of the Department of Political Science at the University of Idaho.
First published 1981 by Westview Press
Published 2019 by Routledge
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Copyright 1981 by Taylor & Francis
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Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Blank, Robert H
The political implications of human genetic technology.
(Westview special studies in science, technology, and public policy)
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Genetic engineeringGovernment policy. 2. Human geneticsGovernment
policy. I. Title. II. Series.
QH442.B58 362.1'96042 80-25114
ISBN 13: 978-0-367-29500-4 (hbk)
The primary goal of this book is to explicate and analyze the political aspects of human genetic technology. Although the complexity of social reality requires consideration of the technical and ethical dimensions as well, the emphasis here is not on discussion of bioethics, nor on private moral decisions, but rather on public policy. What role should a state play in human genetic intervention? To what extent does a democratic society have the duty to take steps necessary to reduce genetic disease and improve the quality of life through genetic intervention? If it has such a responsibility, at what stage does societal good preempt individual rights to procreation, privacy, and self-actualization? What responsibility does society have toward future generations, and is human genetic intervention justifiable on these grounds? These questions obviously have no simple or absolute solutions, but they are questions that must be examined in detail when discussing any attempts to intervene in the genetic composition of the population.
The contention here is that whatever the technical possibilities are, and despite the ethical frameworks available to evaluate these techniques, decisions ultimately will be made in the political arena. Until now the government has avoided these issues. The sensitive nature of genetic intervention and its perceived threat to strongly held values present substantial problems for the political system. This book argues that in the long run it is more reasonable to face up to these problems now than to delay discussion of them. Although the process of bargaining and compromise breaks down on these highly charged issues, and traditional institutions appear to be incapable of handling them, the crucial nature of the issues requires immediate attention.
The focus of this book is on human genetic technology, but the issues raised here are common to all areas of biomedical technology. The possibilities of indefinite artificial maintenance of life, drug therapy, more sophisticated applications of psychosurgery, and organ transplants are but a few related areas of research that, while offering new hope for many, also create difficult ethical dilemmas and force us into serious moral binds. These areas have in common their promises of more control over our destiny and that of our offspring, but not without costs. The decision to include only genetic technology here, then, was made not because the questions it raises are easily distinguishable, but simply to allow for more adequate and detailed coverage.
It is only within recent decades that we have come to have a basic understanding of the nature and extent of genetically related health problems. Knowledge of many multifactorial diseases such as cystic fibrosis, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis remains limited, and the causes of many diseases continue to be unknown; however, understanding of many single-gene and chromosomal disorders and an increasing number of metabolic disorders is advancing rapidly. Along with this understanding have come techniques designed to identify and in several cases treat genetically related disorders. Increasingly accurate and inclusive prenatal testing has been matched by more precise neonatal and adult screening techniques. Many of the techniques for human genetic intervention such as gene therapy and surgery remain only theoretical possibilities, but advances are being made in genetic counseling and screening, prenatal diagnosis, eugenic techniques such as sterilization and artificial insemination, and research on the mutagenic effects of various environmental factors.
