In 2004 the term “designer baby” has been moved to the Oxford English Dictionary, with the definition of “a baby whose genetic makeup has been artificially selected by genetic engineering combined with in vitro fertilization to ensure the presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics.” Advanced reproductive technologies allow parents to screen embryos for genetic disorders and pick out healthy ones. The term is only used by journalists and media and not by scientists.
How exactly those this theory work? The techniques involve using In Vitro Fertilisation or IVF to fertilize eggs with sperm in test-tubes outside of the mother’s body. This allows doctors and parents to reduce the chance that a child will be born with a genetic sickness. At the moment there are two legally possible ways to carry out this procedure on humans. The first is associated with choosing the type of sperm that will fertilize the egg, this determines the sex and the genes of the baby. The second way screens the embryos for a genetic disease, and only the healthy ones are implanted back into the mother’s womb which is referred to as Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD).
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Washington Post states, "Some worry that the technique could be used to hunt for the rapidly growing list of genetic markers that merely signal an increased risk for cancer, diabetes, mental illness, obesity, addiction and other conditions later in life. Someday, similar tests could perhaps even vet fetuses for traits associated with beauty, personality or intelligence."
I think that the ethical issues would be way more complex than people think. What if parents can use Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis to avoid having kids with attention-deficit disorder? The dignity of the child being born or is it just a cure for another child?
In some cases, some couples are not able to have children, or short on survival, or have a genetic disease. If we can prevent certain genetic diseases to be passed down then it would save both the child from suffering and the cost of taking care of the child. Is this right though?
If Genetic Engineering (a direct manipulation of an organism's genes) is accepted it will clearly have a negative impact on the society. It will increase fear and hatred towards foreigners or anyone who appears different, and be socially rejected. This is also going to rise the issue of money. These procedures are pretty expensive, should only rich people have the access to such methods? People unable to afford genetic engineering will be looked down upon.
In my opinion, we are going to get carried away by creating “perfectly and correctly” babies? The Fertility Institutes says they will soon be able to offer the ability to screen their embryos for eye color, hair color, and complexion. Sooner or later we will be adding artificial genes… At the end we can’t control everything and we need to let nature take its way.
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References:
References:
“Critical Health Information or Designer Babies? Where Will New Genetic Testing Lead? “ Shannon LC Cate. Oct 27 2008. Jan 31 2011.
“Designer Babies: Ethical Considerations”. Nicholas Agar. American Institute of Biological Sciences. 2000-2011. Jan 31 2011.
“Designer Babies: Ethical Issues”. Puja Lalwani. Buzzle.com . 2000-2010. Jan 31 2011.
“What is a Designer Baby?”. Bionet. 2002. Jan 31 2011.
<http://www.bionetonline.org/english/content/db_cont1.htm>
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Video
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Video
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2 comments:
Hi Lucy, great BioBlog! I'd first like to begin by saying I really liked the video you put in the beginning of your blog. It truly showed an in-dpeth look on the concept of "designer babies." With the advancement of genetic technology, IVF and PDG processes are sure to attract many parents wanting that "ideal child." But with all those options such as being able to rid diseased genes or selecting "cosmetic traits" comes the question of: "is this right?" I agree with you when you said we are going to get carried away with this new technology. We shouldn't interfere with nature's path. As the video said above, children aren't lego pieces in which we get to experiement and choose which specific piece will be the best to result in the 'ideal whole.' Parents should love their children for who they are and what they will turn out to be. Additionally, these new genetic processes is carving a way into a potential "post human era" If we are able to choose how our children would trun out to be, we will eventually transform the entire human race.
As humans, we should embrace the idea that technology is becoming more advanced, but we also have to understand and realize that we should also know our limits. We can't control everything we please.
Hey Lucy! The video was a great way to start off your blog post. In fact, I’d like to mention something that was brought up in the video – the possibility of humans living a longer and healthier life. A lot of things are achievable with the technology that humans continue to develop. Years from now, longer life may be one of them. This can be a good thing in some cases, but imagine humans living for up to 120, or even 130 years. Would we even be able to do the things we can manage at a younger age? Probably not. This point aside, we should question whether or not we will even have enough resources to supply ourselves for another few decades. A large portion of the world does not even have the most basic necessities for survival. Extending our lifespan would only create overpopulation problems and not to mention a lack of resources. Another concern is whether or not this ability to increase lifespan will be equally distributed. Once again, due to costly procedures, the chances are highly unlikely. It should be kept in mind that humans are not immortal beings. What started off as technology being used for screening inheritable diseases, has developed into the enhancement of other traits. Once scientists have perfected gender selection, hair colour and eye colour, lifespan will also be a considered topic. You’ve pretty much touched on the social and ethical concerns regarding designer babies, and I completely agree with you when you say that we will not be able to control everything. Why are doctors even in this business anyway? It seems to me that people would do anything for an extra amount of cash in their pockets.
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