With a sample of your blood, hair or skin, scientists can determine many characteristics of your physiology – including health problems that you may have now, could acquire in the future, or even what your children could be susceptible to.

Without getting too technical, genetic tests work by analyzing part of the DNA (or proteins) from body samples. DNA is basically the blueprint for your body, encoding all the information you have needed to develop since you were a single cell. All human beings have almost identical DNA except for small variances that can make a whole lot of difference (an extra arm, diseases, etc.). These differences are what scientists studying genetics look for.

In medicine, genetic tests may help predict the probability of developing diseases including some types of cancer. If you find out that you have a greater than average chance of getting colon cancer, then you may be able to plan your lifestyle in a way to help prevent the onset or magnitude of the disease. Many newborns are genetically tested for a disease called phenylketonuria (PKU). If gone unnoticed, those with PKU will develop mental problems. With proper treatment the babies can develop normally. The many benefits from genetic testing are undeniable. However there are some ethically controversial issues surrounding its practice.

“ Genetic testing holds the insights that are needed to better ourselves.

Prenatal tests can be performed on unborn children to help determine the probability of whether the fetus will develop certain health problems. Based on the conclusions, parents can decide how to proceed with pregnancy. Regardless of how you see abortion, we should ask if it is justifiable to knowingly allow a human being to live with the physical and social pains predicted by genetic testing. A line needs to be drawn and depending on the severity of the condition predicted, certain decisions may be easier to make than others.

Right now there are still many kinks to be worked out with genetic tests, but in the years to come they will continue to become more accurate, efficient and inexpensive.

So perhaps someday you decide to check your odds of getting, for example, breast cancer and it is predicted at 70 per cent for the next 20 years. You are perfectly healthy at the time and there is a chance that you will never develop symptoms. Let’s say hypothetically that your employers and insurance companies obtain your DNA information – perhaps by asking for genetic testing. You may now be a liability to these organizations and it could even result in job loss.

This puts a whole new meaning to the phrase “pre-existing condition.” A situation like this may seem somewhat unrealistic but personal information such as your genetic code could lead to disastrous results if it falls into the wrong hands. It might make you think twice one day about accidentally leaving one of your hair follicles around (which contains your DNA).

Genetic testing holds the insights that are needed to better ourselves. However it is in our best interests to keep a proper moral conduct for its usage. Your DNA should be kept more discreet than your PIN number and middle school picture combined.

Brendan Olynik is a biochemistry student at the University of Winnipeg.

Published in Volume 63, Number 18 of The Uniter (January 29, 2009)