A single woman in her late thirties seeks a husband who is a tall muscular blonde blue-eyed, white male who is also aggressive, handsome, highly intelligent and rich. She fears she will never be able to marry such a man of her dreams but learns that a reproductive technology company in California has in its sperm bank, sperm for a male who perfectly matches her Mr. Right. Furthermore, they guarantee successful fertilization of one of her eggs and will perform the embryo transplant for her. The total cost to her will be $50,000 which could be finance through a bank loan. You are her bank manager. What advice would you give?
(a) Problem definition
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1. Does she understand the Mendelian Laws of Genetics of Independent Assortment? The return on her investment is highly improbable. Some of the desired traits, such as intelligence may come from developmental influences or events over which she has no control.
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2. The loan is highly profitable for the bank. However she seems emotionally unstable and may well default on repayment, especially if the baby does not have the expected traits.
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3. The woman’s motives seem racist. She has a right to her values but does the bank need to get involved or associated with eugenics?
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4. Could she consider adopting a baby or become a foster parent?
(b) 4 Solutions
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1. Advise client on the risk of the investment. Make loan available if client seems to understand the genetics of inheritance of traits
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2. Make the loan conditional on an interview with a genetics counselor and family planning agency.
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3. Refuse the loan on ethical and business grounds.
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4. Make the loan conditional on her finding a loan guarantor.
(c) Consequences for solutions 1-4
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1. Client’s baby is a brunette white male but mother is extremely happy. She had her fantasy and loves her baby regardless of what the future brings. She pays off the loan.
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2. Client is depressed. Her child is eventually taken from her by the Child Protection Agency because of negligent abuse. She defaults on her loan—her guarantor pays the amount outstanding. The bank makes a reasonable profit.
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3. After an interview with the genetics counselor and family planning agency she abandons her fantasy, becomes more accepting of males, and gets into an affair with her male beautician. She becomes pregnant and goes back to the bank manager for a loan on a Dodge Grande Caravan.
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4. The bank manager is fired by the bank’s owner for refusing the loan. The Reproductive Technology company arranges credit for her.
Plan and Measures of Success
Choose Solution 3
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1. Make an appointment with a genetics counselor and family planning agency.
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2. Follow through on counseling. Dream of the baby and not of the husband. Relax and be open to wider possibilities and expectations. Look for trusting intimacy with a male and not appearances.
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Measures of Success.
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-minimal financial loss and or at least financial security
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-frustrations resolved
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-has a baby