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Eugenic Considerations in the Theory and Practice of Genetic Counseling

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2008

Robert G. Resta
Robert G. Resta
Affiliation:
Center for Perinatal StudiesSwedish Medical Center Seattle, Washington
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Abstract

Is genetic counseling a form of eugenics? To some extent, the answer depends upon how the terms “eugenics” and “genetic counseling” are defined. This paper reviews the eugenic implications of four models of genetic counseling. The complexities of slapping the eugenic label on genetic counseling are illustrated with three cases drawn from clinical practice. However, even though genetic counseling is not always a eugenic activity, genetic counselors work in a medical/ financial setting that has the net eugenic effect of, and profits from, reducing the number of people with genetic disorders.

Type
Genetic Services Eugenic Practices?
Information
Science in Context , Volume 11 , Issue 3-4 , Autumn-Winter 1998 , pp. 431 - 438
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

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