New prenatal tests under the microscope
Date Released: 18 March 2010There was lively debate at a meeting at Exeter’s Central Library when the public were invited to question experts about the implications of new developments in medical technology that could lead to earlier and easier prenatal tests for genetic conditions.
The audience at the event, modelled on the lines of the Radio 4 programme ‘The Moral Maze’ heard from a range of ‘witnesses’, including Dr Helen Wallace, director of GeneWatch UK, Jane Fisher, director of ARC (Antenatal Results and Choices), Dr Peter Turnpenny of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and Dr Susan Kelly and Dr Hannah Farrimond of Egenis, a social science research centre based at the University of Exeter. Local parent Aaron Corr spoke about his personal experience as a father of children with genetic disorders.
The meeting was Egenis's contribution to the week-long ESRC Festival of Social Science, which featured events throughout the country highlighting the contribution made by social science researchers.
"Recent advances in genetic technologies mean that it is becoming possible to detect a variety of genetic conditions through maternal blood testing, avoiding the need for risky procedures such as amniocentesis,” explained Dr Farrimond. “Blood tests as early as 6-8 weeks into pregnancy for conditions like Down Syndrome are being evaluated, while DNA blood tests for paternity and fetal sex-determination are already available on the internet.”
Professor Regenia Gagnier of the University of Exeter chaired a lively discussion, in which the desire of prospective parents for more and better information was made clear. The debate revealed audience concerns about a possible increase in the numbers of terminations of pregnancies, and about a perceived lack of attention to the voices of people with disabilities, but the value of safer tests without the risks to pregnancies some current tests involve was also emphasised.
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