Ethical Issues of Genetic Testing The Human Genome Project is the largest scientific effort undertaken since the Manhattan Project, and as with the Manhattan Project, the completion of the Human Genome Project has led to many moral and ethical questions emerging regarding the use of the knowledge gained from the project. Although genetic testing for some diseases has been available for 15 years (Ridley, 1999), the completion of the Human Genome Project will certainly lead to an exponential increase in the number of genetic tests available. Therefore, before genetic testing becomes a routine part of a doctor's office visit, the two main questions at the heart of the genetic testing controversy must be addressed: When should genetic testing be used? And who should have access to genetic test results? As I intend to demonstrate, genetic testing should only be used for treatable diseases, and individuals should have the freedom to decide who has access to test results. First, let's consider situations in which genetic testing might be beneficial to patients. Genetic testing for preventable or treatable diseases could allow people to make lifestyle changes to cure the disease or reduce their risk of developing it. For example, the E2 version of the APOE gene, located on chromosome 19, has been linked to heart disease (Ridley, 1999). Individuals who have two copies of the E2 gene are particularly sensitive to diets high in fat and cholesterol. Therefore, a genetic test to determine whether a person has the high-risk version of the APOE gene could inform a person about future health risks, thus allowing them to modify their diet to help prevent. .....ethical testing, I believe that both before and after genetic testing individuals should be required to meet with genetic counselors to help them explain the test and interpret the results. Finally, although many states already have legislation that prevents insurance and employment discrimination based on a person's genetic makeup, I think we need to enact additional laws that deny insurance companies and employers access to genetic information without consent of a person. As Matt Ridley (1999) states, a person's genome is their "property" and people should be given complete freedom to decide to whom they reveal their genetic information (p. 269). Works Cited Hubbard, R., & Wald, E. (1999). Debunking the myth of geniuses. Boston: Beacon Press.Ridley, M. (1999). Genome: the autobiography of a species in 23 chapters. New York: HarperCollins.