The future of genomics and health care is enormous. A clear understanding of what may lie ahead is extremely important for nurses to understand. This need for understanding encompasses many areas, such as potential health cures, policy, legal, and financial perspectives.

Tasks:

Ms. Gens is a single Caucasian woman, 40 years of age. She and her partner have decided that they would like to have a child. Ms. Gens goes to her physician for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). The physician complies and Ms. Gens becomes pregnant from sperm donated to a reputable sperm bank. Upon delivery, Ms. Gens notices that the baby has a distinctive Asian phenotype look and asks the physician about this. The physician assures her that the sperm was from a Caucasian male, however Ms. Gens demands a DNA test be done. The DNA test shows Asian DNA and Ms. Gens and her partner are angry. Additionally, the baby has Down syndrome. The sperm bank admits that some type of mix-up occurred. Ms. Gens and her partner call their attorneys and bring suit against the physician and the sperm bank for 10 million dollars.

In an 8- to 12-page paper (exclusive of title and reference pages) prepared in APA format:

• Describe what may be interpreted as mistakes from the beginning of this situation.
• Discuss what is lacking from the physician’s perspective.
• Discuss whether it is possible that at 40 Ms. Gens could have contributed to the Down syndrome.
• Discuss whether Bioinformatics/Biomedical Informatics/Computational Biology could have helped in this situation.
• Discuss whether adequate tests were done, such as a biocentesis to check on the baby.
• Research whether sperm banks genetically test sperm donors.
• Describe the role nursing might have played in this situation.
• Discuss whether the couple might have a good legal case.