Preimplantation genetic diagnosis Unite sperm and egg in

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis • Unite sperm and egg in the laboratory • Fertilised egg grows to 8 cell size • Remove 1 cell and test for disease • Test also for compatibility (HLA)

PGD

Screening out Disease • • Cystic fibrosis Down’s Syndrome Beta Thalassaemia (Greek for sea/blood) Sickle Cell disease Breast and Bowel cancer Huntington’s disease and more to come

Screening • • For beta thalassaemia in Cyprus, Iran For Down’s Syndrome Preimplantation or abortion Breast and bowel cancer genes identified in the embryo

Bill and PGD • Sch 2 para 3: permits saviour sibling testing where there is a “significant risk” of “serious” disability, illness or condition • Must be treatable by cord blood or bone marrow, not whole organ • Human Tissue Authority may permit transplant • What happened to wardship jurisdiction?

Disability and screening • Society should adapt • Help and cure does to the disabled not mean unworthiness • They will be seen as unworthy • Antidiscrimination laws and compassion • There will be fewer have increased • Should be able to choose a deaf embryo • Every baby should be given the best chance and not predetermined

Deaf by choice • Candace Mc. Cullough and Sharon Duchesneau, deaf same sex couple, found sperm donor with 5 generations of deafness for Sharon, who has 4 generations of deafness. Two deaf children born

Designer deafness • Cl 14 prevents selection of embryos for deafness; disabled embryo not to be preferred • Does this impede reproductive liberty and undermine reproductive confidence in the deaf community? • Deliberate creation of deaf babies is wrong

Boy or Girl? • China – 117 boys to 100 girls • Right to only one child • Girls less likely to be registered

Medical Reasons for Sex Selection • Haemophilia and Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy affect only males • Autism? • If there is a family history of this, choose a girl • Achieved by preimplantation genetic diagnosis

Non-medical Reasons for Sex Selection • Family balancing • Rebuild a family after the death of a child • Religious, cultural and economic reasons for wanting boys • Remove one cell from a 3 -day old embryo • Analyse the chromosomes and DNA • XX = girl, XY = boy

Choosing the Sex of Your Children • The Mastertons had four boys and lost their only girl • Should they be allowed to use embryo selection to have another girl?

Bill and sex selection • Cl 14 (10), (11): sex selection not permitted except for medical reasons • Sch 2 para 3: embryo testing permitted for gender related disability • Confirms HFEA existing practice