Designer babies are a term that refers to babies whose genetic information has been altered. When the thought of designer babies goes through your head, the question that follows is “How would they be made?” These babies are made by creating an embryo by in-vitro fertilization. After the first five days of creation a single cell is separated from the embryo. Then the cell is genetically tested. The parents then choose whether to implant the cell in the womb or to dispose of it.
^ This is the separating of the embryos, to be tested.
Designer babies are a very controversial topic. Some think that it is a good thing and some strongly disagree with the thought of it. The up side of designer babies is that it lowers the chance of passing on diseases. Adam Nash is the world’s first designer baby in the year 2000. Adam was a designer baby so that he would be able to save his dying sister’s life. His sister suffered from a blood disorder called, Fanconi’s anaemia, and the chance of Adam getting it was very high. Scientists selected specific genes to make sure that his embryo would possess the right cells to save his sister’s life. Adam became the donor for his sister and doubled her chances. The same thing was also done for a child in the United States, after the claim was denied in the United Kingdom. The down side of designer babies is that, yes it is used for limiting genetic diseases, but now parents are using this technique for cosmetic reason. Parents are using this technology to choose the child’s gender, eye colour, hair colour, etc. 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." I think that however the child is born, that is the way they are. Yes, there might be challenges that come along with them, but what comes easily?
Some people refer designer babies to abortion because in their eyes it is still killing a child. They believe that by “designing” the child you are killing whatever talent and characteristics that make up the child as well. In a sense this true, because you are not really letting the baby grow and become what it was meant to be. Also, in the process of testing the embryo many are not suitable and are then disposed of.
As we are expanding the population of designer babies we are creating this army of “designed” humans, who in the future will have certain expectations to live up to. Are we setting the bar too high for designer babies? Some are only designed to destroy the genetic diseases and others are created to be extremely intelligent, athletic, etc. The ones who are just created to basically survive will be put in this category of designer babies and they will have to fight to live up to standards. But for the other humans in the world who are not “designed” they will be looked down upon and things will be harder for them and they will have to compete against these intelligent designed humans. Due to designer babies, the level of biodiversity will raise, which in the long run could also end in disaster.
Ethically, I really do not think that it is up to us to decide what we pass on to the next generation. I guess that it is true that parents have the best interests at heart for the child, but not to the extent of literally “designing” what the baby should look like or what the gender should be.
Work Cited List
1. Keim, By Brandon. "Designer Babies: A Right to Choose? | Wired Science | Wired.com." Wired News. Web. 20 Nov. 2010. <http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/03/designerdebate/>.
2. Johnson, By Priya. "Pros and Cons of Designer Babies." Buzzle Web Portal: Intelligent Life on the Web. Web. 20 Nov. 2010. <http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-designer-babies.html>.
3. "Designer Babies?" Jesus Christ Is the ONLY Way to Heaven! Web. 20 Nov. 2010. <http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/End of the World/Genetics Nightmare/designer_babies.htm>.
4. "Designer Babies: Ethical Considerations (ActionBioscience)." ActionBioscience - Promoting Bioscience Literacy. Web. 20 Nov. 2010. <http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/agar.html>.
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