Politics
Thursday July 22, 2004
UK Authorities to Allow Mining of IVF Designer Babies for Stem Cells
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BELFAST, July 22, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has allowed the creation of IVF babies to be used for tissue donors. In some cases a patient suffering from a variety of illnesses can benefit from stem cells obtained from a sibling or other close relative. Pressure has been on to allow the creation of children in IVF clinics in hope of obtaining a source of matched stem cells. Using pre-implantation genetic screening, an embryo that is selected to live is implanted in the mother and if the baby survives the umbilical cord blood is used to obtain stem cells. Parents usually decide the fate of the 'spare' embryos not selected. The practice has been allowed by some jurisdictions and the UK has followed suit.
One man from Belfast who is expecting to use the procedure to obtain stem cells to treat his son said, "An embryo has the potential to become a life but not until it is inside the womb."
A spokesman for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) expressed their disappointment at the decision. Paul Tully, SPUC's general secretary, said, "It cannot be right to create a child with the primary purpose of benefiting an elder brother."
Many experts have described the ethics of modern reproductive technologies as "purely utilitarian." Tully went on to say, "The designer baby may be allowed his or her right to live, but that same right will be denied to his embryonic brothers and sisters. These unwanted embryonic siblings could be flushed down the sink, frozen or used for experiments."
Belfast Telegraph coverage:
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=543454
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