We all pay for the sins, weaknesses, and illnesses of others although we may not be aware that we are doing so. This paper begins with the argument that in extreme cases of voluntary health risks (i.e. in some cases in which individuals knowingly take on health risks) then society in general should not have to underwrite the costs for the care of that individual. Specifically, this paper examines the case of a couple who decide to have children even after being told by a genetic counsellor that they have a high risk of having a baby with serious genetic problems. If this couple chooses to go ahead and have a child, they alone should bear the costs of raising it.
