At Stanford University, there has been continuous research on a new way to diagnose people with the progressive brain-wasting disease, Alzheimer’s. Just from a simple blood test, doctors are able to tell whether someone is at risk for Alzheimer’s. The test is quite simple. In the beginning of the disease, the brain sends signals to the immune system, and this triggers the immune system to fight off the disease. In the new test, doctors look for these chemical signals. If these chemical signals are found, it means the person is at risk for Alzheimer’s. So far, the test has been 90% accurate in predicting it. But of course, like all other new medical discoveries, there still has to be more testing done.
With each discovery in medicine and science, there are lives that will be changed, but it also triggers many ethical questions. This new blood test brings up several moral questions: would you want to know you’ll have a brain-wasting disease? There are, of course, arguments for each side. Firstly, it would be good to know ahead of time because this will allow for more family planning and earlier treatment for the progression of the disease. But, on the other hand, would you want to know you’ll be turning into a brain-wasting away person?
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6 comments:
I really feel for this article because my family was affected by this unpredictable disease. My grandma had alzheimers and it affected my family greatly. I believe that this test for alzheimers will really prepare a family for the tough times ahead. It will help families cope with a relative that suffers from this brain-degrading disease. I think this test will be very effective and it will only benefit a family.
Yes. No doubt should research continue and almost anyone I know would want to know if they had the disease. The easy question to if one does not want to know, don't get tested or tell your doctor not to tell you. My grandma died from cancer and my uncle passed away from an infection that was not diagnosed in time, I sure as heck wish they would have known what they know now cause that is the difference between the month my grandma lived after being diagnosed and three or four years!
I believe that people should be aware of the diseases that have. Whether or not they like it, people need to know in order to prepare for the future, in either fixing financial issues or getting the cure to that disease. By being current on one's condition, future life would not be as hard as if they did not know.
The effects of Alzheimer's is really sad. Honestly I believe that we should put more funds towards research than other trivial things. This test seems like such a wonderful thing for everyone, now people can discover if they have this disease and hopefully begin treating it sooner so the effects wont be as bad.
I think it would sort of ruin your life to know that you were going to be a brainless potato. In this case, I might have to go with the "ignorance is bliss" policy. You might as well live your life well without worrying about what may happen to you when you're much older. It would hang over your head for the rest of your life!
I feel that if you want to know if you will get a certain disease then why not, if you dont want to know about your future then you dont have to see. But wouldnt it be nice though to know that you are going stay healthy. Also if you find out that you have it, you and your loved ones around you can prepare for it and make the time that they have you even more special.
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