The Boy on Top
Have you seen the movie Gattaca? It addresse the "designer baby" issue.
You're right -- if IVF is accepted (and it has been), then the jump has already been made to the disposability of embryos. What kills me about the stem cell research debate (and to a lesser degree, the abortion debate), is the argument that "every human life is sacred". Well, then, how about saving countless numbers of *already viable* humans with stem cell research instead of protecting the "rights" a clump of cells? the implication that blastocysts somehow have more right to life than a 5-year-old or a 47-year-old is ludicrous to me.
Me too. I once had a rather painful arguement with a woman who was anti abortion but had used IVF to bear her twins. I don't think she had realised what happened, or had chosen not to realise. It was not nice. The stem cell debate normally leaves me quite floored. TB
A reasoned argument well put. I am in agrrement. 24 weeks ago I became a dad for the first time and I now know that if I could prevent my son from suffering a debilitating illness then I would. At such an early stage then why not screen for disorders?
But, did you know that you can have a termination at any time during a pregnancy if it is done on the grounds of a genetic abnormality.
The NHS missed all of my wife's scans doing it for the first time we didn't know we needed them! I was horified to hear the clinical director of the hospital tell me, after he had told me that they could do the tests at 27 weeks, that it's alright we can still abort at any stage due to genetic abnormalities.
He told him exactly what I thought an abortion at 27 weeks plus may do to the mental state of a pregnant woman.
So in short, yes, if screening means a parent can help their off spring from suffering then I'm all for it.
You know, I think most reasonable people do. Yet those that don't are violent in their opposition. How can avoiding suffering be a bad thing? TB
Part of me says do it - abort if there's major problems. And part of me says don't. Some Downs people have achieved extraordinary things and live full and happy lives. Who knows?
Marla Runyan - Blind athlete
Stephen Hawking - Genius with Lou Gehrigs Disease
Tanni Grey-Thompson - Para-Olympic athlete with lots of medals
Tom Cruise - Severely dyslexic
Lord Byron - Born with a club foot.
I dunno. I ain't Solomon.
FD, I know, it isn't easy. Thing is, for every exception there are thousands upon thousands which point to the opposite case. Do you accept the suffering for the exceptions or reduce the suffering and loose the exceptions. There are no easy answers... TB
Commenting by HaloScan
