Euphenics

Literally meaning "normal appearing," euphenics aims to improve the outcome of a genetic disease by altering the environment. An illustration: children born with the genetic disease phenylketonuria (PKU) can avoid the expression of their disease by staying on a low-phenylalanine diet and avoiding major sources of phenylalanine such as diet soft drinks sweetened with aspartame (trade name: NutraSweet).

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Modification of the internal or external environment of an individual so as to prevent or modify the phenotypic expression of a genetic defect, without changing the genotype or the inheritance. [eu- + G. phaino, to show forth]

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eu·phen·ics yu̇-'fen-iks n pl but sing in constr the therapeutic techniques and procedures (as medical treatment) for amelioration of the deleterious phenotypic effects of a genetic defect esp. without altering the genetic makeup of the germ plasm of the individual

eu·phen·ic -ik adj