Should we intervene in the genetic makeup of our children? Should genetic screening be used to produce genetically healthy or even "designer" babies?

Francis Galton coined the term "Eugenics" in 1883 during his work on the genetic basis of intelligence. Literally meaning ‘good breeding’, the term referred to the restructuring of the characteristics of the human race through selective mating of the higher echelons of society. The concept of eugenics was embraced by American politics in the early twentieth century especially, and regarded as a feasible idea by a majority of the social science body. It finally lost favour when Nazi Germany attempted to take the idea to its extreme, during the second world war. Today, with the many advances in technology the idea has become fashionable once more; the possible engineering of the human genome has brought a whole host of issues to the forefront of the media and science. Particularly controversial is the issue of genetic screening of foetuses to determine their predisposition towards certain congenital disorders, and even more concerning, whether we should intervene to prevent them. In a case in the USA in 2000, a baby boy, Adam Nash, was born after having been selected (genetically screened) as an embryo, from several embryos created by IVF by his parents, on the grounds that he was genetically healthy and able to act as a bone marrow donor for his sister, who had a genetic disease. The case sparked heated moral debates.


What do you think??

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I dont think it should be used for 'designer babies'

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i think when there is a genetic defect that only happens in a certain sex and causes severe disablement and someone is desperate for a child then there is nothing wrong , but someone who just 'fancies' having a boy!! or a girl!! then no its not right

yes i agree on that

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thank you ela

i agree with pl aswell altho i have a daughter and a son so dont know what it feels like to not have one of each, i cant understand what it would be like to , as in the case of my cousin, have 3 boys and desparetly want a girl

all that is important is a healthy child

i dont think that it should be allowed for "designer babies", i would love to have a boy first but i am willing to take my chances natually, what is ment to be will be

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it shouldent be aloude in the case of desiner babies