Publisher's Synopsis
An exploration of the unique ethical issues raised by spectacular recent advances in molecular genetics, including progress in mapping the human genome, the introduction of new tools for prenatal screening and for the detection of genetic defects in asymptomatic persons and the development of experimental therapies that promise to cure genetic disorders by acting directly to correct the mutant gene. Predicting that researchers will, perhaps within a decade, identify every gene capable of harming human health, the book takes a future-oriented approach, concentrating on the need to anticipate ethical dilemmas and develop guidelines at both the clinical and research levels.
