• Question: Last year a girl was born without the BRCA1 gene linked to the development of breast cancer in later life. Do you consider pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is ethically right to be used in these circumstances or is this giving rise to a 'designer baby' culture where the danger is in a few years every phenotypic characteristic will be able to be adjusted to personal taste.

    Asked by r1ch to Chris, Kay, Kerstin, Lorna, Liv on 17 Mar 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Kerstin Zechner

      Kerstin Zechner answered on 17 Mar 2010:

      Hi r1ch, I always find this question a tough one to answer. I think I would still find it morally acceptable if people controlled for genes linked to genetic disease. Why not if it would reduce suffering? However, I think checking for genes which would produce certain physical characteristics, for example eye colour or height, would be taking it a step too far. I believe and hope that most governments would keep the restrictive laws regarding this upright.

    • Photo: Kay Penicud

      Kay Penicud answered on 18 Mar 2010:

      Personally, i think its a very dangerous precedent to set. Many genes are linked with a degree of risk for a certain disease. Very few genes have a 1:1 ratio with a disease (by that I mean if you have a mutated copy you definitely get the disease). BRCA1 mutation increases your risk of breast cancer, but its by no means certain you will get it. However, if properly regulated then science should be used to help people – we shouldn’t be scared of new technology, just think of how to ethically use it.

    • Photo: Olivia Hibbitt

      Olivia Hibbitt answered on 19 Mar 2010:

      Hey r1ch,

      yet another excellent question from you!! Where are they coming from! Pre-implantation diagnosis is a good idea for things like cystic fibrosis, huntingdons and things like that where having the mutation absolutely means you will have a very serious condition. When you get into things that are risk factors for disease that’s when the area starts to get a bit grey…..this girl might have been born with the Brca1 mutation, but with careful monitoring she may be able to live a very full life, is it right that someone else makes the decision about whether she can do that!
      I think the chances of designer babies becoming commonplace is fairly rare…..this can only happen through IVF treatment which is pretty rubbish…..each cycle only has about a 15% chance of working and costs a fortune…..why would you bother with it when getting pregnant is actually a fairly simple thing to do!!!

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