On Friday we visited a high-tech genetics laboratory. This facility provides a lot of different services: paternity tests, seeking for genetic failures and so on. It costs a fortune (1000$ and more) to obtain this kind of tests. Here you can see that this kind of services depend on a good insurance company. In case of a unnormal behaviour many often parents go to children hospitals to check there children regarding genetics.
Isn't it true that genetics stands in conflict with ethnical beliefs? The genetic science (especially in the US) is already so far to forecast you if you child will have a genetical defect or to check any kinds of cancers. This means that you can abort a child why you think it will have a hard life. I think that the mankind intervenes to much in the nature. Isn't it a step for borning just perfect children?
On the other side people go normally to a pharmacy (e.g. Walgreens) when they have acute weak illnesses. You don't need a prescreption for that. Here you can find medicine, but the no-name product insist of inactive ingredients. But this packages are close together with the brand, they are cheaper, and have almost the same design. If you need any help in finding painkillers (100 kinds) and cold and flue-medicine(500 kinds)-----swin flu----, you need to ask a pharmacist. Because of robbery contraceptives and razor-blades are locked inside the shop. If you want to buy nicotine patches, the cashier can provide it to you. besides this a pharmacy offers a wider range of products than in Germany, for example motor oil, milk and many other.
I see a danger in this pharmacy-business. Nobody controlls any use and buying of medicine somebody shouldn't take. Especially poorer people who cannot afford a treat by a doctor use thsi kind of products.
From my point it depends on the amylum of the disease of more or less peronal autonomy in deciding what kind of treatment should be taken by someone. If you are used to illnesses and you know this medicine will help, why should you go to the doctor? Some doctors just want to make money with you even if no treatment and medicine is necessary. However, a doctor can find out better what's wrong with you, otherwise you could harm yourself. Health is gift, a person can't get back.
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Thomas,
ReplyDeleteI think you have raised some very good topics for discussion: the ethical questions of genetic testing and the idea of self-treatment at the pharmacy instead of seeing a doctor. These are areas for much debate.
Somehow I agree with you that genetics can be misused just to prepare people to the perfect childborn and 'take off' the guilt of a 'non-perfect' child. Otherwise, it must be used to advise people who have any kind of failure at genetic code and explain that pregnancy can be avoided because of the risks of a child with genetic disorders.
ReplyDeleteThe second part - pharmacy - is quite of equal here (Brazil). People can buy painkillers and other kind of medicine without prescriptions here. It is dangerous and, as medical student, I´m concerned with this behavior and with the consequences of it.
Michelle Flöter