Designer Babies
(PGD) - The Ethical Issues
IVF involves production and manipulation of gametes (sperm cells and eggs) outside the body. Some people believe that this is unethical because it separates natural sexual intercourse from procreation.
Embryo biopsy is a very new technique, and no one who has undergone it is yet old enough for it to be known whether it effects their development to adulthood, or if they will be able to have healthy children themselves.
The embryo cannot give consent to undergoing biopsy. Those who oppose its use to help sick siblings argue that this amounts to "commodification" of human life, and that the selection procedures make a "designer baby".
In the UK, embryo testing is allowed under the law (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, 1990) only for serious genetic diseases. Anyone wishing to use this technique must apply to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) for permission.
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CASE STUDY 1 - The Nash Family
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