A British couple have travelled to America in order to make use of embryo screening techniques which will allow them to have a child who is compatible as a potential bone marrow donor for one of their existing children, who has leukaemia. Such genetic screening techniques are more strictly regulated in the UK, where approval for the treatment would have had to have been sought from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
The couple travelled to the Reproductive Genetics Institute in Chicago for the treatment, which is said to have cost $30,000. The mother was prepared for the IVF procedure by Mohammed Taranissi, a London-based fertility doctor. They deny that they have created a 'designer baby', the father saying 'what have we designed? We haven't designed anything. All of these ethical dilemmas are very easy to conjure up when you haven't been put on the spot yourself'. Taranissi added 'we are not creating designer babies. We are not trying to choose hair or eye colour. We are trying to prevent an illness'. The mother said that they would always have the knowledge that even if their existing son died, 'at least we can look each other in the eye and say there was something out there that could have been done and we did it'.
The UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has recently been asked to consider an application for similar treatment to take place in this country, but it has not yet given an answer. Mohammed Taranissi said that the HFEA has given its approval in principle. He said 'we are now setting up a lab to deal with these sorts of cases and the HFEA will come and inspect it before it gives official approval'. The Hashmi family, whose application is currently before the HFEA, have said that they too will travel to America if they do not get permission for the screening procedure here.
Sources and References
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Baby who is 'designed' to save boy with leukaemia
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UK 'designer baby' first
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Britain's first 'designer baby'
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Special delivery
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