1. A Baby, Please. Blond, Freckles –Hold the Colic. By: Gautam Naik
Team: Better than Matsuda
Chrissy, Erik, Ryan

2. Fertility Institutes Clinic in Los Angeles.
Treatment based on pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to select gender and physical traits in a baby.
PGD is used to avert life-threatening diseases in children.
Cannot deliver on its claims of trait selection.

3. “It’s technically feasible and can be done
“It’s technically feasible and can be done. No legitimate lab would get into it and, if they did, they’d be ostracized.”
Mark Hughes, Director of Genesis Genetics Institute
“This is cosmetic medicine. Others are frightened by the criticism but we have no problems with it.”
Jeff Steinberg, Director of Fertility Institutes

4. PGD
A technique where a three-day-old embryo, of about 6 cells, is tested to see if it carries a genetic disease.
If free of the disease, it is placed in the mother’s womb.
Introduced in the 1990’s.
Allowed thousands to avoid passing deadly disorders to children.
Starting to be used to target less-serious disorders or certain characteristics.

6. “If we’re going to produce children who are claimed to be superior because of their particular genes, we risk introducing new sources of discrimination” in society.
Marcy Darnovsky, Associate Executive director of the Center for Genetics and Society
People could effectively be enacting their biases against certain characteristics.

7. US survey of 999 people who sought genetic counseling found:
Majority support prenatal genetic testing for the elimination of certain serious diseases.
56% support using to counter blindness.
75% support using to counter mental retardation.
10% would use for athletic ability.
10% would use for improved height.
13% would use for superior intelligence.
PGD is prohibited in many countries but is allowed in the US
A survey found that 42% of 137 PGD clinics offered gender-selection service.

8. Embryo screening is used to create a “savior sibling”
A younger sibling whose healthy cells can be harvested to treat an older sibling with a serious illness.
Also used with embryos at risk of genetic diseases that are treatable or later in life.
2007, Bridge Centre Fertility Clinic in London
Screened embryos for a squint the father had.
‘Negative Enhancement’
PGD may be used to select an embryo likely to have the same disease or disability as the parents.
Survey found 3% of PGD clinics have provided this service.
A child with the same disability may be more suitable to participate in his or her parents’ shared culture.

9. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs)
Microarray
October 2007, deCode Genetics of Iceland
Various SNPs influence skin, eye and hair color.
“I vehemently oppose the use of these discoveries for tailor-making children. [It would] decrease human diversity, and that’s dangerous.”
Kari Stefansson, Chief Executive of deCode Genetics

10. Tests don’t work on ethnicities such as Asians and Africans.
Key pigmentation markers unidentified.
Trait Selection
Difficult to get enough useful DNA material.
Easy to check diseases linked to a single genes.
Not enough high-quality genetic material for more complex diseases.

11. “We intend to offer [trait selection] soon.”
William Kearns
Medical geneticist and Director of Shady Grove Center for Pre-implantation Genetics
Amplified DNA from single cell.
Test of 42 embryos
In 80% of the samples physical traits were identifiable
Against PGD for selection of nonmedical traits.
Only uses for medical purposes.
“I’m not going to do designer babies. I won’t sell my soul for a dollar.”
“We intend to offer [trait selection] soon.”
Dr. Steinberg, Fertility Institutes

12. Questions??