1. Designer Babies and Genetic Engineering

2. What is a Designer Baby?
A baby whose genetic makeup has been artificially selected by genetic engineering to ensure the presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics
Ethical Issue:
Should couples be given the right to alter their children’s genes to their own preference and liking?
In 2004, this colloquial term made the transition from science fiction movies to the Oxford English Dictionary, where it’s defined as…

3. Real-Life Situation
In October of 2000, Adam Nash was the world’s first designer baby born by pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)
PGD refers to screening procedures performed on embryos to check for genetic disorders prior to implantation and pregnancy
Combined with in-vitro fertilization (IVF), a process by which egg cells are fertilized by sperm outside the womb
Embryos grown to the eight-cell stage and are checked for genetic disorders
It’s a major treatment in infertility, but is now being used for other reasons
Outside the womb. This is done by controlling the ovulatory process: doctors remove the egg from the ovaries & let sperm fertilize it in a fluid medium.
Genetic disorders. Only the healthy embryo is implanted into the mother’s womb

4. Real-Life Situation
His parents were both carriers of Fanconi Anemia and passed this genetic disorder onto their daughter, Molly
To save Molly, a bone marrow transplant was needed
Doctors fertilized several of Adam’s mother’s eggs, but only implanted the one that was both genetically healthy and a match as a donor
This means the other embryos that could have grown into human beings were killed
Now, Molly is healthy and has been given a second chance at life
His parents were both carriers of a gene mutation that led their first daughter, Molly, to be born with a rare and devastating genetic disorder known as Fanconi Anemia
Transplant was needed. Her parents couldn’t find a suitable match, so they had to make their own child. Of course, they couldn’t do it the old fashioned way and the only option left to them was PGD

5. Where Are We HEADED?
A resent U.S. survey suggest most people support the notion of building a better baby when it comes to eliminating serious diseases.
ALL PARENTS want a healthy baby.
Will that be enough?

6. Designer Babies Today
To date, genetic technology has only been used to treat serious disease in children
Discoveries about the influence of genes on human traits opens the possibility of transferring these techniques to human beings
Developing technology makes it possible to alter anything from gender to disease, and eventually appearance, personality, and IQ
Some believe that parents will inevitably want to choose their children’s genes, thus creating designer babies
…on human traits, such as susceptibility to disease, IQ, and athletic ability…

8. Advantages Allows couples who can’t conceive normally to have children
Allows couples to balance gender in their families
Genetic screening reduces the baby’s chances of being born with a serious genetic disease
Increases the likelihood of a healthy baby
Reduces chances of miscarriage
Reduces chances of termination due to disorder
Can be used to save lives

9. Disadvantages Moral and ethical concerns: Social concerns:
Too much like playing God
Killing embryos that could have grown into humans
Social concerns:
High cost leads to gap in society
Could lead to eugenics: individuals are “bred” or designed to suit social preferences
Genetically enhanced people may start to feel superior to those who haven’t been enhanced
Such groups of people may become prejudiced against one another due to a feeling of lost common humanity with non-enhanced people
…gap in society and only wealthy people will be able to afford it. This could cause discrimination against those with disabilities to greatly rise
…social preferences, such as above average height or increased intelligence

10. Disadvantages Safety concerns:
Can lead to ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS)
Unskilled lab technology could damage embryo during biopsy
The removal of cells from eight-cell embryos has implications for the well-being of people created by PGD

12. For or Against Designer Babies?
In a recent U.S. survey of 999 people who sought genetic counseling, a majority said they supported prenatal genetic tests for the elimination of serious diseases
Survey conducted by researchers at the New York University School of Medicine

13. For or Against Designer Babies?
Survey results:
56% supported using genetic tests to counter blindness
75% supported using genetic tests for mental retardation
10% of respondents said they would want genetic testing for athletic ability
10% voted for improved height
13% backed the approach to select for superior intelligence

14. Designer Babies at a PRICE
A recent ad in a top college newspaper offered $50,000 for an egg from a bright, healthy young woman.
Recently a couple with 2 children decided they wanted a Designer Baby at the cost of $9,000.
The parent becomes the architect and the child becomes the ultimate shopping experience.
Will only the rich be able to afford these babies?

15. Financing Available

16. Designer Babies at a Price
Would you buy me?

17. Seven Steps in Ethical Decision Making
What is the ethical dilemma?
What are the facts?
Who are the stakeholders?
What are the options?
What should I do?
Is it justified?
How could this ethical problem have been prevented?

18. Step #1: What is the ethical question?

19. “It would be irresponsible to proceed with any clinical use of germline editing unless and until (i) the relevant safety and efficacy issues have been resolved … and (ii) there is broad societal consensus about the appropriateness of the proposed application.”
Hosted by the US, UK, China= global leaders in gene editing

20. Why use science to create babies that are healthier and disease free but babies who have extraordinary traits?

21. Step #2: What are the facts?

22. Pros of Genetically Modified Babies
Eliminate illness and disease in unborn child:
Scientists remove bad genes by “germline”
Example of diseases that would be eradicated:
Cystic fibrosis
Huntington’s disease
Tay-Sachs disease

23. Pros of Genetically Modified Babies
Longer life span:
Future generations will have a better quality of life
Advancements in genetic engineering:
Reverse basic causes of body’s natural decline
Adaptation
Guarantee survival of the human race
Medical advancements

24. Cons of Designer Babies
Genetic Diversity
Identical genomes, the population as a whole will be susceptible to virus or disease.
Over Population
Not enough resources on earth
New Diseases Rising
It may fix one disease or mutation and cause other diseases or mutations that could make the person sicker or even kill them
Too many words!

25. Cons of Designer Babies
Safety Issues
Unknown Consequences of Viral Genes in the Human Body
God
The belief that god should have ultimate power and we should not be altering nature
Price
Only the rich can offered it
Lack of Regulations
No current laws or guidelines

26. Step #3: What is the perspective of the stakeholders?

27. Primary Stakeholders The Family
Parents have the intention of preventing the passing of genetic diseases to future generations
Existing children may benefit
Physicians and other healthcare professionals
Duty of nonmaleficence
Government
Regulation of laws

28. Secondary Stakeholders
Society
Social changes
Unpredictable long-term effects
Conservative and/or religious groups
HIM Professionals (Health Information Management)
Interest in the safety and security of the sensitive information

29. Step #4: What are the options in the case?

30. Alternatives for Designer Babies
Choosing a mate/partner.
Sperm donor.
Mother nature takes its course.

31. More Information on Genetic Engineering
Other nations outlook on GE.
Center for Genetics and Society: geneticsandsociety.org
Website:
Live Science
Action Bioscience
Center for Genetic and Society
New Scientist

32. Step #5: What should I do?

33. Worldwide Views
Human embryo modification is banned/ discouraged in over 40 nations, excluding the United States.
China is criticized as the “Wild West’ of genetic research.
United Kingdom’s bill allows regulated scientific research in human genetic modification.
“Three parent” babies still discussed as an ethics issue.

34. What should I do?
Weigh the unknown long term consequences compared to the common alternatives.
Consider the economic separation (affordability).
How will the child’s life be impacted?
We are effectively creating our own evolution course.

35. What should I do?
Are we prepared for this “break-though” as a community, nation, and worldwide?
Just because we’re capable of doing something, should we do so?

36. Step #6: What justifies your choice?

37. Is it justified? Subjective per family
Human Genome Mutation will be passed down for generations
The justification for genetic mutation through artificial practices will be subjective per family. What is fair to them may be different from other perspectives. HGM will be passed down for generations and may cause other ethical decisions for the future.

38. Step #7: How could this ethical situation have been prevented?

39. It can’t. Medical advances will continue to happen.
The focus will be on how it will be regulated.
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