Embryo Genetic Screening Controversial and Successful By Dan Vergano

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2010-01-10-embryo-genetic-screening_N.htm Link to article.

"Molly Nash, 15, represents the human answer to the debate over a genetic screening technique, " pre-implantation" (Vergano 1). Pre-implantation is when scienctist take the cell out of an embryo and screen it to make sure it has the right genetics,fertilize it, and implant it within a women. "In Molly's case, her mother and father turned to PGD to pick out the embryo implanted to give birth to her brother, Adam, in an effort to save Molly's life" (Vergano 1). Molly had a rare desease,Fanconi's Anemia, that usually kills the infected person at an early age. "Adam was the first reported case of baby selected as an embryo in a fertility lab for birth because his immune system characteristics made him an ideal transplant candidate for his sister" (Vergano 1). For the Nashes, it was exciting to know that having another child would save their eldest child. However there is always a down side. "Adam Nash's birth raised worries at the 2002 President's Council on Bioethics meeting that pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) would lead to a widespread era of sex selection procedures at fertility clinics" (Vergano 1). Obviously, many scientist believe that pre-implantatation would be used unfairly, and not inregards to health. Even if a child was born to help another, scientist believe that the child born through pre-implantation would feel used and not as loved.

The argument was very logical and had many supporting details. The author was definitely for the progress in science. Dan Vergano believed that that pre-implantation would help avoid the risk of a sick child, and for a better future. "In 2007, the most recently-available statistical year, about 5% of the 132,745 U.S. in-vitro-fertilization procedures included PGD, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine" (Vergano 1). Molly Nash promoted science and positively inforced his view on pre-implantation. "She has become an advocate for cord-blood banking from newborns as a result of her experience" (Vergano 1).

I feel like this article had good but bad reasoning. I believe that having another child just to use them, is wrong. Having a child should be a result from love not science. I understand many parents would go to great lengths to save their child. Unfortunatly, not all can be saved.