Biomedical Engineering Reference
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and creation of savior siblings. PGD can also create tension between pa-
rental procreative autonomy and physician responsibility. The daily expan-
sion of human genomic information for disease and non-disease traits and
advances in genetic manipulation techniques portend an ever-increasing
eugenic potential for PGD. A national dialogue and regulation of PGD and
other assisted reproduction procedures lag far behind these rapidly ad-
vancing technologies in the United states. The human fertilization and
embryology Authority in the United Kingdom provides a model for for-
malized public input into government oversight and regulation of proce-
dures like ivf and PGD.
Questions for Thought and Discussion
1. Do you believe it is all right to use embryo selection by PGD to prevent
the birth of babies with genetic diseases? if so, should PGD be restricted
to disease prevention; or should couples be able to use PGD to select
embryos with certain non-disease traits for implantation? should there
be any legal restrictions on the use of PGD? if so, what restrictions do
you suggest?
2. suppose that you and your spouse are ready to have children and have
just learned that one of you carries a form of the gene for huntington
disease (hD) that does not affect the carrier but is likely to cause lethal
disease in 50 percent of your children during their midlife.
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Both of
you have strong personal religious beliefs that personhood begins at con-
ception; you have just learned how ivf and PGD offer the possibility of
having a normal child. What will you do, and how do you arrive at your
decision?
3. suppose that you and your spouse are committed to having no more
than three children and that you both strongly desire to have at least
one boy and one girl. you already have two boys. Presuming cost is not
an issue, will you use ivf and PGD to select the gender of your third
child? if not, why not?
4. suppose you are the head of an ivf or PGD clinic. if the couple in ques-
tion 3 requests your services, will you accept them as clients?
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