Designer babies: an ethical horror waiting to happen?

Nearly 40 years since the first ‘test-tube baby’, how close are we to editing out all of our genetic imperfections – and should we even try to do so?Comfortably seated in the fertility clinic with Vivaldi playing softly in the background, you and your partner are brought coffee and a folder. Inside the folder is an embryo menu. Each embryo has a description, something like this:Embryo 78 – male• No serious early onset diseases, but a carrier for phenylketonuria (a metabolic malfunction that can cause behavioural and mental disorders. Carriers just have one copy of the gene, so don’t get the condition themselves).• Higher than average risk of type 2 diabetes and colon cancer.• Lower than average risk of asthma and autism.• Dark eyes, light brown hair, male pattern baldness.• 40% chance of coming in the top half in SAT tests.Continue reading...

Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - January 8, 2017 Category: Science Authors: Philip Ball Tags: Reproduction Science IVF Health Fertility problems Society Embryos Biology Stem cells Medical research Source Type: news