Ethical commentary reveals that emerging genetic technologies introduce no novel moral dilemmas for clinicians, suggesting systemic shifts drive clinical unease.
There is a story about a monk who announced that he was leaving monastery after 25 years. Is it food, Brother John? his superior asked him. No, he replied, the food is bad, but I would not leave because of that. Is it illumination? Are you concerned about your eyesight? he was asked. No, he replied, The work is tedious, but I would not leave for that reason. Is it celibacy? he was asked. No, he replied, like others, I am lonely, but I took vows with a full awareness of what I was sacrificing, and I would not leave because of that. Then what is it, why are you leaving? his exasperated superior wanted to know. It's just whole damn thing, Brother John explained. So it is with new genetic technologies. They raise no new ethical questions for physicians or patients. There
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Norman Fost (1993) studied this question.
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