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Social conceptions and scientific developments interact to coproduce the field of genetic medicine. Today's field of genetic medicine is rooted in the social and scientific movement of twentieth century eugenics and began with the mass screening of newborns for Phenylketonuria (PKU). Using screening for PKU, a disease most prevalent in populations of Northern European descent, as a framework for g... read moreenetic screening is problematic. First, it continues a eugenic preferencing of treating diseases of white populations and of purging mental disability. Also, the public health program for PKU screening is flaws in two distinct ways: it does not include informed consent and thus violates civil rights of individuals, and it does not have sufficient evaluation and support which have led to pitfalls such as maternal PKU. By using the PKU screening program as a precedent for expanded genetic screening, we are perpetuating these injustices and leaving eugenic thought in the field of genetic medicine unexamined.read less
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