Public Agenda Issue Guide: Medical Research

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ON THE AGENDA

School's Out, But Should it Be?

Scott Bittle
Jul 2, 2009

Despite some direct prodding – and funding – from the federal government, summer school programs are being cut back across the country. Alice Cooper may well approve, but where does this leave American parents?

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Too Many Students, Too Little Money?

Scott Bittle
Jul 2, 2009

Community colleges around the country are facing tough choices on how many students they can actually serve – choices that Public Agenda's research shows are running right into the public's biggest concerns about higher education.

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ISSUE GUIDE: Medical Research

OVERVIEW

Medical Research

Over the last century, medical research has arguably advanced human health more than all the previous 5,000 years combined. One statistic puts the change into perspective: Americans born in 1900 could expect to live an average of 49 years, but those born today will live an average of 77 years.

Much of the credit for that longer, healthier life span goes to medical discoveries such as insulin, antibiotics, blood pressure medications, and advanced surgery. Scourges such as polio and measles have been virtually eliminated in the U.S., and we have vastly increased our arsenal of treatments to fight AIDS and cancer.

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CONSIDER THE CHOICES

Scientists should be free to pursue genetic research

Treat the sick, but dont change our genetic future

Leave humans as God and nature created them

Science thrives - and humanity benefits - when researchers are free to pursue knowledge and follow the trail of its discoveries, wherever they may lead. Prohibiting research into areas such as cloning and genetic alteration may allay the public's fears, but could also cut off progress that would benefit millions. It's immoral to block research that could improve so many lives. Besides, who gets to decide what knowledge is good and what is bad? Pursuing knowledge is a basic human freedom, and controlling knowledge is a favorite weapon of any tyrant. In reality, people will inevitably pursue new ideas, with or without government approval. Forcing such research underground or overseas is no answer. It is better for society to learn to handle new knowledge and its social implications than to try and outlaw it.
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Scientists should learn how to treat diseases using stem cells and gene therapy. But they should never try to engineer the genes of future generations. Scientists can and should use new knowledge to treat individuals who have fallen ill, even by repairing an individual's genetic flaws. But letting any changes to the genetic code be passed on to future generations could have consequences that no one can even imagine. There's just no way to anticipate the kind of damage this might cause. Eliminating one genetic disease might leave our grandchildren vulnerable to another disorder, for example. Trying to make people taller, or smarter, or more beautiful could carry a similar risk. Genetic perfection is tempting, but it's just too dangerous to attempt.
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Human life is sacred and should not be treated as just another laboratory in which to conduct experiments. By manipulating genes, we will be playing God and attempting to circumvent the laws of nature that govern creation. Stem cell research sounds harmless, but taking cells from human embryos is an unacceptable sacrifice of potential life to save another. For better or worse, humans are created with a set of genes that have evolved over hundreds of generations. Even our imperfections may have a purpose. If science gives us the ability to cure people who carry different genetic traits, eugenics is one short step away. Who decides what's a bad gene that must be fixed? Do we want to breed human beings like we breed cattle?
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