Here, at the dawn of the 21st century, humanity inarguably stands at the pinnacle of medical achievement thus far. Dreadful scourges like smallpox and polio have been virtually eliminated, and infant mortality is at its lowest level ever. Yet, there remain serious health problems in the United States - though judging by the focus of many in the medical community, finding that sense of urgency is difficult.
The Washington Times reported that the Reproductive Genetics Institute will begin testing on humans a new procedure designed to help infertile couples conceive. The procedure, already successful in mice, splits an adult cell in half, giving it 23 chromosomes, the same number as a sperm cell. The manipulated cell fertilizes an egg, which is then implanted in a uterus and carried to term. Sterile men and lesbian couples could employ this technique to have their own children. Rather than offering hope for those struggling to have children, reality dictates that this expensive treatment will be utilized mainly by wealthy couples desiring to carry on their bloodlines.
This comes on the heels of a Massachusetts biotech company's announcement last month of their intention to clone human embryos for therapeutic treatments. Their announcement raised fears of this technology being a stepping-stone to the full-blown cloning of human beings. Undoubtedly, the cloning of human beings will be yet another tool for the affluent to have children of "their own." Adding to this cornucopia of artificial baby-making tools are drugs like Viagra and other arousal-enhancing treatments.
It's understandable that childless couples do all within their power to conceive a baby of their own. It's difficult to fault people who want nothing more than the ultimate expression of their love. But there are millions of children in this country and around the world without parents whose lives would be forever changed by adoption.
There are about 1.5 million adopted children in the United States today. As heartening as that is, another 134,000 children are waiting for homes. More couples should be willing to open their hearts and homes to these children of need, rather than squander precious resources adding more people to an already crowded world.
The allocation of these resources also rubs the wrong way. The fixation on technology designed to achieve what can already be accomplished through other means diverts and dilutes financial and intellectual capital from the more urgent needs of the ill. The estimate of HIV-infected Americans is 800,000 to 900,000 with 40,000 new cases each year. The number of cancer patients tops off at around 1.2 million. These diseases, and far too many others, will not simply disappear until they are afforded the time and resources to discover cures for them. Though the Department of Health and Human Services, through the National Institute of Health, provides grants and funds research to fight the diseases that ravage human beings, it's not enough. Given the current slump of the economy, coupled with the cost of fighting the war against terrorism, the NIH's budget of $30 billion doesn't look to be expanded anytime soon.
Organizations like the Reproductive Genetics Institute have their priorities mixed up. Capital- and labor-intensive technologies designed to create life, when an abundance already exists and available only to the few who can afford it, is a waste of time, energy and talent. While this is the Golden Age of Medicine, problems are too numerous and treatments are too scant to allow the luxury of frivolous reproductive methods. The funds devoted to these less-than-urgent pursuits could be, and should be, put to the far better use of eliminating some terrible diseases for all time.
Children are good. Families are good. But we should take care of the ones here, now, and not worry about the ones we haven't met yet.
