First baby in Britain designed cancer-free

[Risker]

A WOMAN is pregnant with Britain’s first designer baby selected to prevent an inherited cancer, The Times can reveal.

Her decision to use controversial genetic-screening technology will ensure that she does not pass on to her child the hereditary form of eye cancer from which she suffers.



Although they did not have fertility problems, the woman and her partner created embryos by IVF. This allowed doctors to remove a cell and test it for the cancer gene, so only unaffected embryos were transferred to her womb.

The couple are the first to take advantage of a relaxation in the rules governing embryo screening.

More here (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2178178,00.html)

[herbwormwood]

A WOMAN is pregnant with Britain’s first designer baby selected to prevent an inherited cancer, The Times can reveal.
More here (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2178178,00.html)

This is a rather nasty condition and as far as I can see from the article the procedure is straightforward embryo screening after IVF, embryos are checked and if they are carrying the retinoblastoma gene they are disposed of. It does not involve genetic engineering as the non-cancer carrying embryo is not altered. So it isn't technically a designed embryo. If someone was opposed to IVF they would have to oppose this, but I am not sure there are additional moral issues.

[gibby]

ok - cancer can be more common amongst certain blood lines
but its a natural reaction in many cases due to our diet and environment

as an example - a poor diet, drugs etc can increase the risk of cancer massively
having parnets with a great hi veg diet reduces the risk but no matter how much we are engineered cancer is a risk and antioxidents from fresh fruit n veg reduces the rirsk


a bit of a false sale

G

[tipsy]

i dont know how i feel about this...

i guess its a bit upsetting to me...

1. because of the 'discarded' embryos wich are life... no matter how small they are.

2. because i belive in evolution. i guess what im trying to say here is that obviously, this person's family gene of eye cancer is trying to get them out of the gene pool. but damned humans are too "smart" for that shit these days! if i had the gene for a horible genetic disease, i would NOT breed!

3. whats next? choosing the child who has the genetics for straight blonde hair and green eyes who will grow to be 5'10 and naturally thin and athletic?

i think ill take one of those.

:rolleyes:

[Pilaf]

Watch it come out with three eyes and a social disorder.

[herbwormwood]

ok - cancer can be more common amongst certain blood lines
but its a natural reaction in many cases due to our diet and environment

as an example - a poor diet, drugs etc can increase the risk of cancer massively
having parnets with a great hi veg diet reduces the risk but no matter how much we are engineered cancer is a risk and antioxidents from fresh fruit n veg reduces the rirsk


a bit of a false sale

G

I agree with you 100% about cancer in general but this particular cancer carries a strong genetic predisposition and if you have the gene you are 80 % likely to have tumors grow in your eyes when you are fairly young, which will just keep coming back until you have your eyes taken out. If I had this condition I would not want to have a child who had it so I would either adopt, not have children at all, or if I had different view to the ones I have, I would have this treatment.

[puffin]

My sister in law has inherited the same cancer genes that her mother and auntie have. She has to decide if she will have her womb removed before she is 30 or risk getting the same cancer. It must be very hard for her. she has two children, one being a girl. I would think she would have had the screening if she had the chance.

[tipsy]

Watch it come out with three eyes and a social disorder.

like george bush?:p

[Jamie]

I have mixed views about it too. But I do wonder why people in those situations wouldn't try adoption first? That would end the family history of that disease too - just don't have their own kids. There are just so many unwanted children in the world that I don't understand why people would resort to such things to have their own. Yes, it must be wonderful to have a being made of your own flesh and blood with the person you love, but perhaps they just need to accept that it isn't meant to happen for them. They are destined otherwise.

That's my view. But I haven't had children yet, or been in this sort of situation, so I'm not going to say I'm fixed on that viewpoint! :)

[Pilaf]

Trust me. Mutants will occur.. mankind's knowledge of genetics is so pathetically limited that this "designer baby" craze can and will be disastrous.

[Jamie]

when you say 'mutants' it makes me think of ninja turtles! :-)

I think the PC term is probably 'genetic abnormality'!