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Genetics and bioethics: How our thinking has changed since 1969

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Abstract

In 1969, the field of human genetics was in its infancy. Amniocentesis was a new technique for prenatal diagnosis, and a newborn genetic screening program had been established in one state. There were also concerns about the potential hazards of genetic engineering. A research group at the Hastings Center and Paul Ramsey pioneered in the discussion of genetics and bioethics. Two principal techniques have emerged as being of enduring importance: human gene transfer research and genetic testing and screening. This essay tracks the development and use of these techniques and considers the ethical issues that they raise.

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Notes

  1. See also the follow-up articles by Weiss and Nelson published in the Washington Post on November 21, December 8–10 and 31, 1999; January 31, February 3, September 19, and November 4, 2000. The Senate hearing was printed as [30].

  2. An August 2011 review and meta-analysis also showed that the gender of fetuses can be determined with considerable accuracy by analyzing cell-free fetal DNA. See [49].

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Acknowledgments

Research for this article was supported in part by grant P41 HG01115 from the ELSI Program of the National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH. My colleague Robert M. Veatch kindly provided archival materials from the Hastings Center.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Professor Emeritus, Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Department of Philosophy, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA

    LeRoy Walters

  2. Joseph and Rose Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA

    LeRoy Walters

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Correspondence to LeRoy Walters.

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Walters, L. Genetics and bioethics: How our thinking has changed since 1969. Theor Med Bioeth 33, 83–95 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11017-012-9210-8

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