So many possibilities for good or evil
Imagine you and your spouse are expecting a baby. You’re both excited and looking forward to your first child. You’re excited, but you’re scared as well. One of you is neurodivergent and it’s hereditary.
I know what my parents would have done
What would my parents have done if the science was available then that’s available today? Would they have taken the test if there was a way to modify my genes to stop the neurodivergence in its tracks?
Scientists have developed a drug called antisense oligonucleotide. It’s synthetic DNA or RNA that acts like a targeted missile designed to modify the messed up DNA. It’s designed to treat the fetus in utero.
I’m neurodivergent, and it hasn’t been fun
I read the article online yesterday. It’s a special interest to me. I’m neurodivergent. I was diagnosed with Dyslexia and other developmental problems. I’m excited by the possibilities. I don’t want anyone to have the difficulties I had when I was young.
It would have been amazing. The doctors could have performed amniocentesis. They would find the faulty DNA and inject the drug. Changing the DNA or RNA and Saving me from a childhood of Remedial classes.
I was conceived too soon to benefit
I was born too soon to experience that reality. Science may spare future generations and that’s an amazing thing. Scientists are exploring using the drug for what has been untreatable ailments. So many families will be spared heartache and misery.
Some of the genetic disorders that scientists are studying. Schizophrenia, epilepsy, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. That’s a start. How many diseases? And how many learning Disabilities will be stopped by this guided missile?
Of course, there’s potential for abuse
I have known people who have struggled with schizophrenia. Imagine having that condition erased before the person was born. I can see the possibility of preventing addictions and a host of other things. It’s all good.
Of course, it’s not all good. I’m a Science Fiction fan, so I see the possibilities. The targeting of individuals is one possibility. What if a government wanted to create a class of human pack mules? How many scientists would consent to that?
Human Pack Mules and Super Soldiers, could it happen?
A popular trope in Science Fiction is the Genetically modified super-soldier. An autocratic Leader would jump at the chance to do that. What if someone wanted to create a master race? Scientists could program genes for extinction.
Strict controls will have to be in place, and they will have to be enforced. Humans are not good. Someone will play Frankenstein. I guarantee it.
Final Thought:
My parents aren’t around, so I can’t ask them. I know them well enough that they wouldn’t have taken the test. They were happy I was born and they wouldn’t have changed a thing. Soon, parents will have a choice.
A brave new world is coming.
Sources:
The current landscape of nucleic acid therapeutics – Nature Nanotechnology
This Review provides an overview of four platform technologies that are currently used in the clinic for delivery of…www.nature.com
Antisense oligonucleotide therapeutic approach for Timothy syndrome – Nature
Antisense oligonucleotides effectively decrease the inclusion of exon 8A of CACNA1C in human cells both in vitro and…www.nature.com
Antisense oligonucleotides and their applications in rare neurological diseases
Rare diseases affect almost 500 million people globally, predominantly impacting children and often leading to…pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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