Introduction

Genetic diagnostics have been used by couple sin order to determine what kind of hereditary diseases they might have before they conceive a child. A case of Australia, the possibility to mandate and to subsidize genetic testing under Medicare for intended parents is emerging in discussion. Thus, it can result in the prevention, or at least a reduction of the rate of genetic disorders, better decisions about reproduction, and alterations in the burden of health care costs in the future. But it has promise in relation to ethics about self-governance, decision-making, privacy, and equity in approach to palliative medicine (Wilson et al., 2022; Young et al., 2021). In this essay, there is a reflection on the ethical dilemmas involved with genetic testing/reproductive choices according to the bioethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice. The policy is also analysed using the strategies of the utilitarianism theory, the deontological ethical theory, and the virtue ethical theory to determine the probable beneficial and harmful consequences of the policy.

Autonomy

Decisional sovereignty is an ethical principle that posits peoples right to make choices about their health. This principle is violated where genetic testing is mandatory as this washes out the right to make a choice. This could have raised concerns to the parents with religious or culture belief system that detest biochemical science including genetic testing. Should the person be fully informed concerning the effects of the test, the advantages and the drawbacks, then the person can be able to access genetic counseling (Spriggs et al., 2021).
It can also relate to the future child, who can also benefit from obtaining the results of the genetic test which helps in early treatment hence improving on quality of life. However, some critics expect that forced engagement may cause: The eviction of doubt in the healthcare system and infringement of the right to liberty (Kleiderman et al., 2019).

Beneficence

Beneficence means that decisions made in the sphere of healthcare ought to provide the patient care with the most favorable result possible. If required, the genetic testing could help in early identification of severe genetic diseases and thus enhance the quality of life of the future generations (Lewis et al., 2021). From the same viewpoints, mandatory testing can be regarded as beneficent because accordingly, the suffering can be avoided because those parents who are genetically unfit to raise children can be discouraged from reproducing.

The following challenges come with learning unfavorable results: Previous studies show that anxiety, guilt, and stress are typical experiences in parents who learned that they are positive for severe disorder genes (Dheensa et al., 2020). Further, while tests may open possibilities of intervention, the moral trouble lies in a situation where parents are put in a fix in reproductive decisions, about, say, abortion.

Non-Maleficence

Non-maleficence or do no harm as simple a really important principle that acknowledges a person should not act in a way that will cause harm to others. Although genetic testing strives to reduce risk by means of early detecting and controlling of genetic threats, it may lead to new form of psychological and emotional suffering for parents Hunter and Knafl (2022). There is also the possibility of utilization of genetic data for example discrimination of the patients or employees or insurance (Ko-lourzanos et al., 2020, p.120).

Appropriate use of such information therefore calls for appropriate privacy and data protection mechanisms placed. Further, it gives room for genetic categorization, or people are being discriminated in accordance with their inherited genes, which is unbeneficial for society (Lewis et al., 2021).

Justice

The important principle of justice is the fairness of the distribution of health care resources. By making it a requirement and funding it through Medicare, equal opportunity under social economic status would be created because all intending parents would benefit from this technology (Thomas et al., 2020). It would also minimise on the difference between the people who are cash rich hence able to take-tests like genetic testing and the rest who cannot.

However, using resources in genetics testing will take resources from other central health care services leading to an issue on fairness of the available resources. However, the fairness of testing is very important is there will be seen different outcomes by the benefit a certain population gain than another. Politicians should make certain that groups with limited access to advantages are provided inadequate attention when distributing health minister employees.

Ethical Theories

Utilitarianism

Based on the legal implication of the utilitarian approach it will be lawful to demand the genetic tests if impacts resulting from the test will benefit the large number. The lack of prevention or optimised treatment of genetic disorders adds to the healthcare burden while enhancing public health benefits would justify the intervention from the point of utilitarian ethicists (Spriggs et al., 2021). However, to the utilitarianism approach, this might mean that individual rights and the psychological impact that testing might have on some of the parents to endure suffering in one form or another (Delatycki & Alkuraya, 2020).

Deontology

Deontological ethics focuses on principals and the duties of people as they seek to respect rights of other persons. From the deontological perspective, the proposal to make genetic testing mandatory is also a violation of the principle of patient self-authorization and the right of a patient to decide on his or her treatment (Hunter et al., 2022). The imperative of autonomy might stand opposite the imperative of public health as the very conflict at the heart of the ethical problem.

Virtue Ethics

Virtue ethics focuses on ethical character and kind demeanor of any healthcare providers. In this regard, there is the need for the health care providers to ensure that the parents hear without encouraging them to come up with a decision in a given way (Kleiderman et al., 2019). Different theories on virtue ethics would support genetic testing if the process is done appropriately, for the benefit of the patient and in accord with his/her values system.

Ethics of Care

The ethics of care approach provides an extended focus on the ethic of decision-making by on the resources in the relationship and context. However, obliging people to go through such tests, can feel impersonal and even intrusive, which is contrary to the care model of the relationship between workers in the field of health care and parents (Dheensa et al., 2020). Nevertheless, if the testing is done with compassion and with the parents in mind for purpose of attending to their psychological needs then the testing is in compliance with the principles of care ethics as noted by Wright et al., (2020).

Conclusion

Recommending and reimbursing through Medicare intending parents for preconception carrier tests that can greatly reduce the occurrence of inherited diseases and improve the wellbeing of the generality of Australians when intending parents undergo serious moral implications. The processes of decision making should respect the individual rights of patients in that they do not harm the patient while at the same time promoting autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice. It shouts various ethical theories like utilitarianism to uphold the wider societal value in eradicating genetic disorders; deontological and virtue theories talk of ethical duties to patients. This outcome has been made clear in the ethical legal arguments underline above where, mandatory genetic testing is ethically acceptable under conditions that offered full disclosure, respect for patients autonomy and where all stakeholders obtain fair access to genetic testing for their benefits and that of the society. To identify and, thus, exclude any possible ethical issues, it is necessary to have a particular and rather detailed implementation plan with focus on patient care approach.

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