2015+PERIOD+4+DESIGNER+BABIES

Designer Babies



Important Terms to Understand

Designer Babies - a term used to describe manipulation of genetic selection to determine desired qualities of a child

Neo-Eugenics - The New study or practice of attempting to improve the human gene pool by encouraging the reproduction of people considered to have desirable traits and discouraging or preventing the reproduction of people considered to have undesirable traits.

What traits can be changed in a designer baby?
 * appearance
 * gender
 * intelligence
 * personality
 * disease



Pros
 * reduces risk of genetic diseases
 * reduces risk of inherited medical conditions
 * increased life span
 * provides more scientific insight to genetics
 * gives child a better chance at having a successful life

Cons
 * can create prejudice and gaps in society
 * costs a lot of money (up to around $30,000)
 * plenty room for mistakes
 * the child doesn’t have their moral right to have say in how their body cells will be altered or used
 * loss of individuality
 * mutations could create new disease
 * favors the wealthy people

Images





Videos [|__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_c-6m9yJTA__] this video is a CNN news cast talking about designer babies and how they are becoming more popular over time. [|__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHesvjW1bKM__] - explanation of what designer babies are [|__https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVMfQNe7U7w__] - This video is explainig the questions involving designer babies and whether or not it should be allowed

Websites [|__http://www.futureforall.org/bioengineering/designer-babies.html__] Discusses pros and cons of designer babies

[|__http://nyln.org/8-most-notable-pros-and-cons-of-designer-babies__] Contemplates the good and bad of designer babies

[|__https://www.23andme.com/__] A website that can give you genetic information about your baby. This website helps people find out certain traits that their baby might have just by looking at the DNA. It is called 23andme because a baby starts off with only 23 chromosomes.

News Articles [|__http://www.bbc.com/news/health-30742774__] This article is explaining how designer babies are becoming a new era, reopening questions about genetically modifying people, and the controversy it has with ethics. [|__http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dov-fox/23andmes-designer-baby-pa_b_4042165.html__] 23andme is a website that can tell you information about your baby. They recently patented a gamete donor selection, this means that no one else could have this program.

[|__http://www.cbsnews.com/news/designer-baby-controversy-scientists-edit-genome-of-human-embryo/__] This article talked about scientists that experimented on human embryos to alter genes to prevent inherited diseases.

[|__http://www.bionetonline.org/english/content/db_cont1.htm__] This article briefly explains the process of creating a “Designer baby”

JSTOR ARTICLE:

In this article written by Sonia Suter, Designer babies are the main focus. It tells you what they are, which is an embryo's manipulated DNA in very early stages, to create a baby to the parents liking. It also discusses the moral disputed on the subject and whether or not this is something that should be carried out into the future.

Suter, Sonia M.. “A Brave New World of Designer Babies?”. Berkeley Technology Law Journal 22.2 (2007): 897–969. Web...

Blogs [|__http://blogs.plos.org/dnascience/2014/03/06/mitohype-3-parent-designer-babies-revisited/__] This is a report on 3-parent in vitro fertilization to pick and choose desired genes and how people views on the matter differ.

[|__http://www.aspeninstitute.org/about/blog/designer-babies-ethical-moral-biological-implications-future-genetic-technology__] This blog talks about a program set up to teach people about designer babies so they can further explore the matter. It explains how technology can be a strength and weakness

[|__http://www.jewsforjesus.org/publications/blog/designer-babies-coming-your-way__] This talks about the general controversy over designer babies. It also elaborates on how designer babies are frowned upon by certain religions.