Lack of eugenic measures

Lack of eugenics
Insufficient intervention in human evolution
Discrimination against eugenics
Active prejudice towards selective breeding of humans

Nature

In the absence of eugenic measures, persons suffering serious hereditary diseases, with a high risk of transmitting them to their children, are not discouraged from having children.

Background

The issue of lacking eugenic measures emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as scientific and social movements began advocating for population-level genetic health. International debates intensified after World War II, when the ethical implications of eugenics became widely scrutinized. Despite this, concerns about hereditary diseases and population quality persisted globally, with some policymakers and scientists periodically revisiting the topic amid advances in genetics and demographic shifts.

Incidence

Globally, the absence of systematic eugenic measures has contributed to the continued prevalence of hereditary diseases and genetic disorders. In many countries, limited access to genetic counseling and screening means that preventable conditions such as thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, and cystic fibrosis persist across generations, placing significant burdens on healthcare systems and affected families. The lack of coordinated policies addressing genetic health risks remains a challenge in both developed and developing regions.
In 2022, India reported over 10,000 new cases of thalassemia major, largely attributed to insufficient premarital genetic screening and public awareness. This ongoing trend highlights the consequences of inadequate eugenic interventions.

Claim

Genetic counselling procedures would not be effective in the case of persons suffering from high-grade mental retardation which is of special importance due to its frequency, and some form of enforcement may be required.

Counter-claim

Eugenic measures will never cause hereditary diseases or disabilities to disappear completely. Spontaneous mutations, the coming together of heterozygous carriers of recessive conditions, and other factors will always bring about new cases.