The Burden Of Knowledge

"Man is wrestling for control with God," says one interviewee in filmmakers Wendy Conquest, Bob Drake, and Deni Elliot's probing new documentary on prenatal testing, The Burden of Knowledge...and it appears that God is the one who is losing turf. Birth was once a "lottery system," where couples could expect a 96% chance of bringing a defect-free baby into the world; today, thanks to maternal serum genetic screening tests, parents can find out beforehand whether their baby is at risk for spina bifida, Down syndrome, or other medical problems. Combining interviews with mothers, women who had abortions, and medical professionals, The Burden of Knowledge takes a long hard look at the pros and cons of prenatal testing. Many parents, for example, don't want the burden of raising a Down syndrome child; Shawn Wiggin's mother and father, on the other hand, are quite proud of their son- having Down syndrome did not stop Shawn from engaging in sports, holding down a job, and graduating from high school. Ironically, even as we pass long overdue legislation designed to protect the rights of the handicapped, we are gaining the technological capabilities to practice basic human engineering. Currently, the tests screen for a selection of birth defects, but who's to say that tomorrow the categories won't be height, or intelligence, or obesity? Einstein once remarked that God didn't play dice with the universe; unfortunately, man does...every time he gets the chance. The question of how far man will travel down the road to eugenics should be our primary worry here, and The Burden of Knowledge gives us plenty of food for thought. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)