Should You Have Your Genome Sequenced?

Imagine that humans had a code, just like a computer program. This code would tell them how to live, process information, and go about their lives for years. It would also include whether or not the human would face certain problems in their lives, so that by reading this code, you would be able to fix that problem ahead of time? Wouldn’t that be amazing? And the great news is, soon, this will be a reality. Deoxyribonucleic acid, also called DNA, not only contains information that allows cells to keep a human alive, but it also can tell you whether or not you have a genetic disease or will encounter one down the road. How? Because a genetic disease is just an error in the DNA that usually results in one of your body’s essential proteins being produced incorrectly. It could be inherited from your family members and thus be passed on to you. It can also tell you are more likely to have conditions like heart disease and brain disorders because your genes can reveal a lot about your unique physiology. Many companies are trying to market disease risk assessment based on your DNA. But there is a debate about whether or not we should have our entire DNA set, known as the genome, sequenced. This means having your whole genetic code analyzed and written down to assess your risk of a disease. To determine the answer to this question, we have to analyze the pros and the cons to having your genome sequenced.

First, what good could possibly come from having your genome sequenced? Let’s say a child was born with a genetic disorder that prevented their cells from breaking down glucose in their food correctly. This made the child very tired and unable to exert themselves very much. By having their genome sequenced, a doctor could analyze their genetic code to see which, if any of their genes, was working incorrectly and preventing this child from getting enough energy. By doing this, they could find which of their enzymes for breaking down food had been produced incorrectly. A doctor could then make a medicine specific to that child that would give them a proper enzyme to substitute the faulty one being produced by their body. They might also need a separate medicine to stop the body from producing the faulty enzyme. By taking this medication the child could have enough energy to live their life with as much potential as anyone else, and to do the things that they enjoy. In addition to that, it could tell an individual who as at a significant risk of a specific condition what lifestyle choices they must make or avoid in order to reduce their risk of death from that condition. It could act as an extremely vital safety net for individuals everywhere. Not only that, but some have suggested that this could be used to authenticate one’s personality. By memorizing a sequence of your DNA for a particular gene that is unique for every individual, you could use this as a security measure for gaining access to a secure facility, or even for the same purpose as a social security number. With all of these brilliant uses for sequencing one’s DNA, why would anyone not want to?

It turns out that many people are not as thrilled about the idea of having their DNA sequenced as you might think. There are a few key reasons for this. One of the main concerns is what happens if you learn that you are at high risk of a disease that has no cure such as alzheimer’s. Many people fear that they would no longer be able to live their lives in comfort with this sort of knowledge. They will forever live in fear of the knowledge that one day they will most likely begin to suffer a terrible disease from whom the only salvation is death. They say that this kind of fear means that the risks outweigh the benefits. Another concern by those who oppose the genome sequencing idea is that, when you have that information given to you by a company, it is also stored with that company. And if someone then goes and hacks into the company’s data banks, they now have access to your genetic record, and can commit the ultimate form of identity theft. This is especially true if people adopt the sequenced DNA method for passwords and security. These kinds of fears keep many people from wanting to have their genome sequenced, despite promising signs from several companies such as Novogene who already offer whole genome sequencing for individuals.

In the end, what do I believe about this question? I believe that the benefits do in fact outweigh the risks in the case of healthcare. While I am skeptical about using a section of DNA as a password, I do believe that sequencing a genome to find unique treatments for a patient is a noble and essential cause. And for those who do not wish to know their risk factors, they can simply choose not to have their genome sequenced, though I would strongly advocate for those services to be available for those who still wish to have them. Finally, it is important that genome sequencing, and the treatments based off of them, be kept as affordable as possible. If these services can cater only to the super-rich, then there is no point in them being made at all. Every individual on the earth deserves this kind of treatment to have an equal opportunity to excel in life as anyone else.