Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Genetic interventions in general and their application in medical terms…


One of these concerns is already present in a non-genetic medical application. This is the type of objection raised by members of the deaf community to the ‘curing’ of deafness by use of the cochlear implant. With the advent of genetic technologies, particularly germ-line interventions the problems associated with ‘curing’ deafness take on additional implications. Deaf parents feel that this style of intervention would exclude an otherwise deaf child from Deaf culture. Some deaf parents do not consider the ‘cure’ to be in the children’s best interests, because it does not allow them access to Deaf culture. They believe that there is a full and vibrant deaf culture which their child will miss out on with such treatment. They also see problems with the relationship between them and their child, given that their child will never experience the world in the same way they do and neither will they. There have also been objections to this sort of treatment made on the grounds that it says something quite profound about society’s view of people with deafness and other disabilities.

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