Medicine in the Future

I was reading an article about what millennials can expect when they retire.

One of the medical guys said:

"I think it’s very likely with gene editing techniques that we’ll be able to intervene on the genetic predisposition of people, so that if you’re at high risk for certain things like Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease, we’ll be able to probably modify the DNA of those individuals to reduce people’s risk for those conditions. So you can go in there and correct these, sort of reverting them back to the better type of gene and taking away that risk for the disease, making more people win the [health] lottery genetically.”

Today, people have procedures like cardiac stents, balloon angioplasties, etc to deal with blocked arteries. The above writer suggested that in the future we will be able to avoid the need for such things because we will be able to modify genes that make us susceptible to coronary artery disease.

This is just in the area of cardiac medicine; as stated the same would hold true for mental issues or any other imaginable physical issue.

Is this idea of "gene editing” wrong?” If you think so, why is it more wrong than having invasive medical procedures, such as bypass surgeries or kidney transplants? It is essentially just surgery on a much much smaller body part.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with it but was curious how others felt.

I don't see any problem with it, I wished this would have been in effect before 2-7-2015, when I had a triple bypass and the chainsawed my chest open. :-)

Exactly Bill!

IN face of all the genetic engineering man can do they will never be able to disannul the sentence imposed upon man "it is appointed unto man once to die..." by God.

From my observation - once you start cutting, subjecting your body to sedatives it seems upset the natural balance that works to maintain health. Many times victims will then fall prey to other unrelated ailments thus filling doctors offices with more patients...

Then there are the procedures that demand treatment in order to maintain life...SIGH

Yup - I am 72 YO...done lived my three score and ten. :-)

Sandra

You're going to get 70 years and 80 if your strong, if your violent you will not live out half your days.

Genetic modifications or not, God will take you out of the world in his time.

I get it people want to be well, but I also get it that people want to live because there is nothing else...no God, no afterlife, no heaven or hell just death.

Instead of investigating those things, the human mind investigates how to be a god and how to seemingly rule over death/life by it's little science experiments.

No doubt it's coming, our society is being groomed to accept chopping off genitals, hormone therapy, all so they can pretend to live the life they think they want.
The world will find out that choosing your sexuality was a disaster and longevity of life will work out to be the same.

I know there are a thousand others who will find some justification for it...and I suppose they will be the ones to offer themselves up to the surgeons and chemists for experimentation.

//All jokes aside, this is only for the very rich.//

It is now but it won’t be in the future, per the article I referenced.

Obviously everyone is still going to die but there is no doubt that life spans have increased over the years due to medical advances and this trend will continue perhaps more so than in prior years.

If someone can differentiate between operating on a defective gene and operating on a defective heart valve, please explain how you do so.

QUOTE:
"Genetic modifications or not, God will take you out of the world in his time.
I get it people want to be well, but I also get it that people want to live because there is nothing else...no God, no afterlife, no heaven or hell just death."

AMEN!

This is the truth. Absolutely. It is this truth that enables one to accept death of loved ones - especially if/when it happens before the "three score and ten." In God's economy he will use people to his honor and glory and when that mission is completed he can remove them from the scene and we do well to accept this reality. To howl and go to great lengths to prevent it only exposes one to undue stress. Richard Wurmbrand said it so well, "If God wants me alive persecution cannot kill me."

Sandra

Perhaps this kind of spiritual health is more important than extending life with whatever medical means are available::

I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, - Philippians 1:23-25

Gene editing can’t achieve this health. Seems to me that the lack of this attitude is a bigger threat.

So are y’all like jehovahs witnesses and christian scientists who refuse medical treatment? After all, if God wants you to survive that disease or infection or illness he’ll heal you without treatment.

Right?

You are making it sound as if the truly spiritual among us don’t need doctors.

To which I simply say, "hogwash.”

By the way, ANY medical treatment is an attempt to extend life, so the idea that only gene therapy is somehow trying to artificially extend life rings a little hollow.

Do you think our soul resides in our dna?

I agree designer babies and the like is an evil.

What I don’t have a problem with is "fixing” a gene that leads to Alzheimer’s, for example.

Hi Todd, The purpose of my post was not to address whether we should access available technology to extend our lives. To me, the bigger question is "why” or the motive behind wanting to extend our lives. If it is for our own best interest and happiness then one answer. If it is so we can serve others, then another. I was more focused on why we seek to live long . I think that is a very important spiritual question. Maybe some don’t.