The
article, “Designer Babies” by Patricia Smith, featured in the May 12th
volume of ‘Upfront’ magazine,
discusses how through advancements in scientific understanding, parents may
soon be allowed to create a ‘perfect’ baby.
There
are many differing opinions concerning this possibility. Some people are
voicing ethical questions about whether we should interfere with the way humans
reproduce, while others think that being able to select traits such as “tall”
and “athletic” is a beneficial development. Scientists agree with the progress
being made towards genetic advancements, as diseases such as sickle cell
anemia, hemophilia, and cystic fibrosis could be replaced with healthy genes.
Dr. Alan Copperman, director of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at
Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City states, “the most exciting part,
scientifically, is to be able to prevent or fix an error in the genetic
machinery.” Morally, I believe that a procedure to alter genes is wrong, and
that people shouldn’t be allowed to assemble the ‘perfect child’.
The
reasoning behind my belief is that by changing the DNA of your child, you are
completely altering who they would have become if they had been reproduced the
human way. If everyone began creating “designer babies” there would be no
individuality or diversity. Parents would choose the best traits for their
child, therefore making them just another ‘perfect’ human. The uniqueness of
each individual human would be lost. Additionally, there are health risks
involved. If scientists wrongly alter an individual’s genes, the defect becomes
inheritable. Other people agree with my opinion. Among them is Jeremy Gruber,
president of the Council for Responsible Genetics, who fears these procedures
could cause genetic abnormalities or remove positive traits accidentally.
Some
people think that by creating designer babies and eliminating genetic diseases,
scientists are benefitting the human population. Among these people are
researchers at BGI in China, who are attempting to test human embryos for IQ so
parents can chose the ones with the highest IQ. However, these people are still
allowing specific traits to be chosen, and therefore allowing the individuality
of each person to be removed. These procedures go against my morals and also go
against nature. The way humans reproduce shouldn’t be tampered with in any way;
especially considering it could end up badly, as it has in the past. If ethical
boundaries for gene research are not put in place, history could repeat itself.
The eugenics movement in the early 1900s, in which people discouraged the
reproduction of those who have supposed undesirable traits (low IQ, disease),
is an example of how genetic science can go too far. Nazis also believed in
eugenics, which led to the killing of 6 million Jews, and thousands of gypsies,
gays, and the disabled.
In conclusion, I believe that human traits should not selected through scientific procedures, but rather be selected through natural reproduction, as it goes against my morals, and as well as being dangerous, it takes away individuality.