Based on the definitions outlined above, or similar versions of them, the line between therapy and enhancement is the line where medical necessity stops and optional or elective procedures begin. But who decides what is medically necessary and how do they define it? I will now explore several definitions. Medically Necessary.
Full Answer
Is there a difference between treatment and enhancement?
There is no difference between the terms “treatment” and “enhancement.” They are both used to describe any artificial process that alters the appearance, especially the color or clarity, of any gem material.
What is enhancement in medicine?
[en-hans´ment] the process of making something greater; see also promotion. body image enhancement in the nursing interventions classification, a nursing intervention defined as improving a patient's body image (conscious and unconscious perceptions and attitudes toward his/her body).
What is the difference between genetic enhancement and genetic engineering?
The distinction between the two is based on purpose. Gene therapy seeks to alter genes to correct genetic defects and thus prevent or cure genetic diseases. Genetic engineering aims to modify the genes to enhance the capabilities of the organism beyond what is normal.
What is germline enhancement?
Human germline engineering is the process by which the genome of an individual is edited in such a way that the change is heritable. This is achieved through genetic alterations within the germ cells, or the reproductive cells, such as the egg and sperm.
What is Biomedical Enhancement?
All of these are examples of biomedical enhancements: interventions that use medical and biological technology to improve performance, appearance, or capability in addition to what is necessary to achieve, sustain, or restore health.
What is artificial enhancement?
Human enhancement (HE) can be described as the natural, artificial, or technological alteration of the human body in order to enhance physical or mental capabilities.
What's the difference between GM and GMO?
GM stands for “genetically modified”. An organism, such as a plant, animal or bacterium, is considered genetically modified if its genetic material has been altered through any method, including conventional breeding. A “GMO” is a genetically modified organism.
What is the difference between genetically modified and bioengineered?
“Bioengineered” means GMO — just not all GMOs As the technology that drives genetic modification continues to evolve, the products of new GMO techniques like gene editing are entering the supply chain. The Non-GMO Project Product Verification Program keeps the products of new GMO techniques from being Verified.
What is meant by genetic enhancement?
The use of genetics to improve selected characteristics or traits of an organism. It is a practice common in agriculture, e.g., in the engineering of supersweet corn or pesticide-resistant soybeans and is both welcomed and feared in human affairs.
What is the difference between somatic and germline editing?
Somatic means changing genes in some of the cells of an existing person in a way that does not impact their reproductive cells, and germline means changing the genes in someone's offspring and, ultimately and in a small way, the human species.
What is somatic cell enhancement?
Somatic cell gene therapy involves the placement of a human gene into a living person's somatic cells—cells that do not produce the eggs and sperm that in turn produce the next generation. Somatic cell gene therapy would aim to cure a disease only in the patient, not in the patient's descendants.
Is genetic enhancement possible?
Obviously, some types of human genetic engineering are possible. Gene therapy, for example, is promising for some genetic conditions, but it typically involves adding new cells to the body (in particular, the bone marrow). It doesn't require rewriting someone's DNA wholesale.
What is the distinction between therapy and enhancement?
The distinction between therapy and enhancement can be most clearly made by first having available a clear definition of a third term: malady. The following definition of a malady , adapted from Gert, Culver, and Clouser 1997 (p. 104) classifies all clear cases of maladies as maladies and does not classify as a malady any condition that is clearly not a malady.
When is it ethically justified to administer an intervention?
There is a general consensus that it is ethically justified to administer interventions when certain conditions are met. First, the intervention must be a rational one for the patient to choose under his or her circumstances. Second, patients must give valid consent to an intervention: They must be given adequate information about the intervention, must not be coerced into consenting, and must be fully competent to consent. If these conditions are met, then it is ethically justified to administer an intervention. If one of them is not met, then it may or may not be ethically justified to administer the intervention.
What is the difference between therapy and enhancement?
Therapy involves fixing a problem—making something right, correcting something that is wrong—whereas enhancement involves changing something that is not a problem or improving something to a state that we might call better than well.
What is the transition from therapy to enhancement in medicine and technology?
The transition from therapy to enhancement in medicine and technology is significant, and raises enormous ethical questions about the ends of medicine, the meaning of “natural,” human dignity, and myriad other core assumptions about technological advancement as well as about what it means to be human.
Can technology be used for enhancement?
While most technologies are presently developed for and have therapeutic purposes, many also have the possibility to be used for enhancement. And increasingly we see individuals and groups, transhumanists, for example, advocating enhancement uses.
Social, Ethical and Moral Reasons
In biotechnology, both therapy and enhancement are used in improving the human physical and mental performance, health, functionality or quality of life to the individual’s satisfaction.
Objections to the distinction between Therapy and Enhancements
Some scientists argue that there is no reason to differentiate the two because all therapies require enhancements to treat the patients. Patients can be treated for either physical or mental conditions.
Response to the Objection
While it may be true that the human race have the right to their bodies and to make the decisions to make changes in whatever way they see fit. However a line has to be drawn as to the extent in which they can make those changes in a social, ethical and morally acceptable way.
Conclusion
It is evident that medical therapy is ethically, socially and morally acceptable by all because it helps to treat and heal people who have diseases, disabilities, impairments or disorders to restore their health or reconstruct their bodies to the normal human form.
Defining Therapy and Enhancement
The Moral Justifiability of Administering Therapies and Enhancements
- There is a general consensus that it is ethically justified to administer interventions when certain conditions are met. First, the intervention must be a rational one for the patient to choose under his or her circumstances. Second, patients must give valid consent to an intervention: They must be given adequate information about the intervention,...
Reimbursements For Therapies and Enhancements
- Discussions of the therapy/enhancement distinction are sometimes linked to the question of third-party reimbursement for the two kinds of interventions. It may be assumed that therapies should be reimbursed and enhancements should not (see Parens 1998 for a discussion of these arguments). While there may be a societal consensus that most therapies should be reimburse…
Bibliography
- Brock, Dan W. (1998). "Enhancements of Human Function: Some Distinctions for Policymakers." In Enhancing Human Traits, ed. Erik Parens. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press. Discusses circumstances in which it is ethically justified for a health insurancecompany not to reimburse the treatment of a disease and to reimburse the giving of some enhancements. Danie…