A US biotechnology company called Life Technologies has announced that it has created a machine able to read a whole human genome in less than a day at a cost of £1,000.
This is a major leap forward from previous machines which could only deliver results in 7 days with a cost ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.
Mapping human genomes can have a major impact on medical research because it can help us to understand the link between genes and diseases. Cancer patients, for instance, will be able to receive treatments specific to their individual genetic profiles.
At such an affordable price this gene sequencing technology is likely to become extremely popular especially among parents worried about the health of their future babies.
Major ethical issues have been raised about the potential use of this technology. Insurance companies, for example, may be alarmingly interested in accessing the genetic data of their clients.
It is also easy to imagine how parents may react negatively knowing that their children are particularly prone to certain diseases. The knowledge may be useful in terms of preventing that disease, but it will also create an anxiety that itself is likely to have major repercussions on the child's upbringing.
There are certain truths that are better left unknown. The machine may tell you what particular type of takeaway food is more appropriate to your body, but only by trying the whole range of restaurants available on Urbanbite, will you ever know what type of food you like best.
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