Genetic Enhancement/Therapy

Genetic Enhancement/Therapy

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Every since the completion of the Human Genome Project, there has been considerable discussion of the staggering possibilities of genetic therapy and genetic enhancement. For most, genetic therapy is perfectly acceptable whereas enhancement is, at best, questionable.

What I would like to propose is that enhancement and therapy are less clearly distinct that we might think – which means that the moment we open the door to genetic therapy, genetic enhancement is soon to follow. Consider the following two cases: First, a child who has a genetic defect slightly stunting his growth, and, secondly, a child is simply naturally short. Both children will only grow to be five feet tall. If the first child is given gene therapy to cure the defect and allow him to grow to six feet, wouldn’t the parents of the second child reasonably object that their child too should be treated? Both children are given genetic treatment to grow to six feet instead of five. We call one therapy because it corrects a genetic defect and one enhancement because it adds to what is genetically in place. But, is there really any difference?

We have scarcely seen the beginning of what genetic technology can do. Let us pray that we are not on the road to demanding “designer babies,” whose size, shape, eye color, hair color, intelligence and physical beauty are predetermined by their parents. Would this not compromise the unconditional love we ought to have for all?