Informative Essay: What Is Genetic Testing?

If you had told someone in the early 1800’s that every cell in your body contains something called DNA made of molecules called nucleotides (DNA) that determine every characteristic about you, from your height and eye color to whether or not you’ll get a certain disease or condition, they would think you were crazy. Today, most students learn about DNA in middle school biology.
DNA was first discovered by a German biochemist named Frederich Miescher in 1869, but its importance was not realized until 1953 (DNA). Genetic testing, “a type of medical test that identifies changes in chromosomes, genes, or proteins” (What is Genetic Testing?), however, was first done in the 1910s with ABO blood typing (O’Neil). Today, testing is used for determining paternity, determining a person’s chance of developing or passing on a genetic disorder, and to confirm or rule out a suspected genetic condition (What is genetic testing?). There are currently over 100 different types …show more content…
In an article titled “A Defense of Genetic Discrimination” published in 2013, Noah Levin attempts to defend genetic discrimination and uses the hypothetical example of a bus driver who is asymptomatic, meaning they show no symptoms, but “has a 90 percent chance of suffering a serious epileptic seizure within the next four years” (Genetic discrimination in employment). He argues that prohibiting an employer from having access to this genetic information creates a public safety risk. “Not only should use of genetic information be allowed in this case, it should be required” (In this case however, Levin fails to consider the chance that the tests are not completely accurate and even if they are, there is still a chance that this person will never have a seizure. Denying someone a job, promotion, or insurance based on the chance that they might develop a medical problem is unethical and