Advanced reproductive technologies that allow parents and doctors to screen embryos for genetic disorders and select healthy embryos.
The fear is that in the future we may be able to use genetic technologies to modify embryos and choose desirable or cosmetic characteristics. Designer babies is a term used by journalists to describe this frightening scenario. It is not a term used by scientists.

Now what are your opinions on the possibility of most of our global population having the option of a designer baby in the near future ?..
Do you believe it borderlines moral issues and questions the right for man to change the natural course of reproduction..or do you believe it is worth having designer babies so there will be less babies born with diseases and handicaps ?

This can possibly be a long debate within many socities (similar to pro choice vs pro life) in the next decade..

man you ever saw this movie Gattaca? I will be honest, if I can I will. Some people will say I am playing God, but as far as I am concerned I am only giving my child the best that I can offer.

why not.. i mean on one hand it's wrong because who are we to play God but on the other hand.. what would be wrong with creating a child that has exactly waht you want it to have..

__________________

Never waste your time trying to explain who you are to people who are committed to misunderstanding you.

Velvet Glove. Iron Fist

mi style still sharp .....u a A-Minor and dem a B-Flat

I am all for not passing on genetic imperfections like cancer genes, asthma, heart disease etc. But I dont think we can see the full impact of designing our offspring at this point.

Imagine if Steve Hawkins parents saw that he would have a degenerative disease and choose to abort instead? Or Ray Charles and his eventual blindness as a child? Helen Keller?

Most geniuses like Chopin, Picasso, Einstein, Van Gogh suffered from chemical imbalances.....imagine if those people were "designed" out......

I dont want a handicapped child but I also know it is unfair to assume that even with a genetic imperfection, people cant be productive members of society who contribute more to the world than us "able-bodied" folks.

I'd be quick to jump on the bandwagon too but I dont think we can foresee the ramifications of playing God. At some point Nature has a way of kicking our azzes that we couldnt see coming.

And designing kids might produce a society of mediocracy since ppl have no motivation to overcome obstacles......

__________________

"Twats you people be" - Chinks

"Don't try to win over the haters, you're not the jackass whisperer."

Some people get you and some people don’t, and to spend your life trying to make people understand how deep and complex and varied you are — I think that way lies madness - K. Blanchett

"The leopard's stealthy gait is not a result of cowardice; it is simply stalking a prey." (Do not mistake people's gentle nature for spinelessness) - Yoruba Proverb

Well some would argue that is the same as "Playing GOD" and is morally wrong. What if what you want in a child may not be what you want ten years later. Now who is to blame ?..Do you think their will be a developed hatred within a country for foreigners who are born different ?

Now I am not for or against designer babies, In fact I am indecisive. I am just showing you the opposite pont of view others will have regarding your opinion

Good point.

Aso What if we have issues where there are parents designing kids based on current temporary sentiments but then later in their lives they realised they didnt like their design lol..Its like a woman who thinks she looks sexy in this outft at age 22 but at age 32 she may think that outfit was not the best choice. She can replace outfits but not kids lol..

link Pros and Cons of Designer Babies

Pros of Designer Babies

Genetic screening can reduce the baby's chances of being born with several serious diseases like Down Syndrome, Famial hypercholesterolemia, rare blood disorders such as Diamond Blackfan Anaemia, etc. Adam Nash was the world's first known designer baby born by the revolutionary pre-implantation process in the year 2000. Scientists genetically selected his embryo so that he would possess the right cells to save his dying sister's life. His sister suffered from Fanconi's anaemia (blood disorder), and mostly the chances of Adam getting that disorder was also very high. An embryo was chosen, which did not have Fanconi's anaemia. Adam became a donor to his sister, which doubled her chances of survival. Same was the case with Charlie Whitaker, who suffered from Diamond Blackfan Anaemia. His parents wanted to have a designer baby to save Charlie's life. Since they were denied the right in UK, they went to US to have their baby. In 2003, Charlie's baby brother was born and the stem cells from his umbilical cord would be used to treat Charlie.

Cons of Designer Babies

A revolutionary technique called 'pre-implantation process' is used to screen embryos for any genetic disease and only the disease free embryos are implanted into the mother's womb. However, the technique is not limited to screening for genetic and hereditary disorders, but is also used for cosmetic reasons. Dr Jeff Steinburg, Director of the Los Angeles Fertility Institute, who played a major role in the world's first test tube baby in 1978, states that by using pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), parents can choose the gender, eye, skin and hair color of the baby. Various other physical traits such as intelligence, beauty, height, stopping a propensity towards obesity, freedom from mental illnesses, athletic ability, etc. can be also determined. He went on to say that this service is available solely to couples seeking IVF. Moreover, the price for each baby is $18,000.

The adoption of genetic engineering for cosmetic reasons; for genetic enhancements has spearheaded a lot of controversies. People have begun asking the question, "Is it ethical to create designer babies with enhanced physical ability and appearance?" The National Director of Christian Voice, Stephen Green said, "The objection to the idea of designer babies is that it divorces procreation from the act of sexual congress, and there's a real sense in which it is playing God." Critics point out that the level of biodiversity in the human race will plummet, which can result in long term disaster.

Eugenics is defined as "the study of or belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human species or a human population, by such means as discouraging reproduction by persons having genetic defects or presumed to have inheritable undesirable traits." Adolf Hitler was on a quest to create a race of Aryan Blond, blue eyed and tall people. Creating designer babies is believed to be on the same lines. The question arises, which skin color and physical features are to be chosen. The advent of designer babies will effect biodiversity. Moreover, traits decided by parents, eliminates the say of the child in his or her life. Parents passionate about sports would have the athletic ability engineered into the child, however, the child may not want the same. This reduces the child's freedom to choose.

Genetic engineering, if accepted, will have a negative impact on the society. It will result in increase of unreasonable fear or hatred towards foreigners or anyone who appears different. People with genetic defects will be socially rejected. They will be called 'gene poor' and will be separated from the society too. Today, people who have genetic defects are already treated differently and cast out from society in several parts across the world. Designer babies concept, will lead to discrimination on the basis of certain qualities or traits. Kids of rich families will receive genetic enhancement, leading to genetic aristocracy. This gives them an unfair advantage over the other children. People unable to afford genetic engineering will be looked down upon. Thereby, creating a greater rift in society. Moreover, most parts of the world are still male dominated, and sex or gender determination of the baby can lead to gender discrimination across the globe.

Genetic engineering is not something to play with. Its complex, and any mistake can alter the lives of many generations. We never know when a particular mutation can lead to a new virus or disease. We as humans did not choose to enter this world! There are myriads of things we do not understand about ourselves as well as the world around us. It is time to realize, that we cannot control everything in this world, although our flesh desires to.

yeah, I was thinking the same thing when I read your reply to LR as well.

We also may have to contend with kids suing their parents because *they* didnt like the design their parents choose at birth and now wish they were different like wanting to be 5'5" when instead their parents designed them to be 5'10" because they thought a taller child would have more advantages......yeah really ugly slippery slope is coming into frame now ~eek~

and imagine the disaster that would happen when personality traits are made all the same because being a certain way is acceptable......or parents designing socio-paths (not intentionally) because they want successful kids who are all like Donald Trump or something like that.

__________________

"Twats you people be" - Chinks

"Don't try to win over the haters, you're not the jackass whisperer."

Some people get you and some people don’t, and to spend your life trying to make people understand how deep and complex and varied you are — I think that way lies madness - K. Blanchett

"The leopard's stealthy gait is not a result of cowardice; it is simply stalking a prey." (Do not mistake people's gentle nature for spinelessness) - Yoruba Proverb

i think its a great idea, would the world be so bad without sick people? I dont think that it was meant for sick people to breed with other sick people ...look at the animal kingdom, the sick or weak animals are ostrasized otr killed...not left to barely live on government assistance and allowed to pro-create...society has gone too far meh sey!

yeah,great idea indeed

yes but whether people like it or not.. people already try to select out the triats they doNT want in their children.. hmm i dont want a child this complexion that means i get a mate this complexion.. i dont want a child with this hair that means i try to eliminate this gene pool from my genes or go with a gene pool that will cancel out any genes that i may carry for tht trait... and thats how people do it..

__________________

Never waste your time trying to explain who you are to people who are committed to misunderstanding you.

Velvet Glove. Iron Fist

mi style still sharp .....u a A-Minor and dem a B-Flat

Natural Selection due to how we choose a mate isnt even in the same arena as the manipulation of those said genes. One is relying on nature to make the choices the other is the interference in the actual process.

not two things you can compare.


LT - I was just reading last night how a private clinic in Europe used stem cells not allowed in the US to treat a kidney patient. Unfortunately, the man died from an completely unforeseen reaction from the stem cells at the injection site. Something about the stem cells cause rapid cell multiplication at the injection site that clotted so bad his organs shut down.

apparently in all the stem cell research on animals this reaction has never been seen before and they doctors were shocked.....

so although I am all for that kind of research to help ppl in the future, it also highlights that n matter how hard we try there is always some "X" factor in nature we cant foresee or control

kinda scary in some ways but I see it as no different when it comes to this issue too.

__________________

"Twats you people be" - Chinks

"Don't try to win over the haters, you're not the jackass whisperer."

Some people get you and some people don’t, and to spend your life trying to make people understand how deep and complex and varied you are — I think that way lies madness - K. Blanchett

"The leopard's stealthy gait is not a result of cowardice; it is simply stalking a prey." (Do not mistake people's gentle nature for spinelessness) - Yoruba Proverb

it is not that simple some diseases provide an evolutionary edge to the environment, like sickle cell and malaria.

that' s part of the X factor I am talking about. Some genetic mutations actually benefit humans depending on environment, etc.

I have the sickle cell trait and would rather not pass it on to my kids, but if it is completely eradicated how do we know what chain of other genetic mutations its elimination would set off.........it all becomes a wild card factor that we cant predict or control.

__________________

"Twats you people be" - Chinks

"Don't try to win over the haters, you're not the jackass whisperer."

Some people get you and some people don’t, and to spend your life trying to make people understand how deep and complex and varied you are — I think that way lies madness - K. Blanchett

"The leopard's stealthy gait is not a result of cowardice; it is simply stalking a prey." (Do not mistake people's gentle nature for spinelessness) - Yoruba Proverb