Gene Testing

For Penn State Honors College Application

Recent medical advances have included new techniques that help scientists learn more about how genes work and how they may be linked to disease. This has led to expanded availability of genetic testing and recent legislation in the US Congress. If you could be tested to determine the likelihood of developing life-threatening diseases in your lifetime, would you choose to do so? Why or why not?

Yes, it is important that we know as much as we can about ourselves in order to have a fuller picture with which we can plan for the future. If I were to know that I was at risk for a certain disease, I would have a clearer picture of the risks that I face in the future. I would then spend more resources for planning what would happen if I would get such a disease. For example, it would become more worthwhile to create a will and to communicate information about my finances to my spouse. Although these steps are important since as a human I am always at risk of dying, this knowledge would motivate me to complete these steps faster.