more bad analysis of PGD
Mar. 3rd, 2009 11:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
walkitouthttp://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=6998135&page=1
Doc sez, hey, you can pick eye and hair color with bout 80% certainty with me! (Offer on hold according to other sources.) Commentary sez foolish stuff like:
"Science's understanding of genes is way ahead of the ethical debate surrounding designer babies. while there is no legal prohibition against customizing your baby's traits, the reality of a brave new reproductive world generates enormous emotion."
But apparently no actual thought or research. First and foremost, while there might not be any legal prohibition against customizing your baby's traits in the US, there are such rules elsewhere. Second, science's understanding isn't necessarily that far ahead of the ethics -- we don't have a good handle at all on the real risks of PGD. Which makes the ethical debate tough. Of course, if you don't even mention that risk might be an issue, people are bound to make even worse decisions.
Once again, big missed opportunity in the rhetoric.
Doc sez, hey, you can pick eye and hair color with bout 80% certainty with me! (Offer on hold according to other sources.) Commentary sez foolish stuff like:
"Science's understanding of genes is way ahead of the ethical debate surrounding designer babies. while there is no legal prohibition against customizing your baby's traits, the reality of a brave new reproductive world generates enormous emotion."
But apparently no actual thought or research. First and foremost, while there might not be any legal prohibition against customizing your baby's traits in the US, there are such rules elsewhere. Second, science's understanding isn't necessarily that far ahead of the ethics -- we don't have a good handle at all on the real risks of PGD. Which makes the ethical debate tough. Of course, if you don't even mention that risk might be an issue, people are bound to make even worse decisions.
Once again, big missed opportunity in the rhetoric.