One Step Closer to Designer Babies
By Marcy Darnovsky,
Science Progress
| 04. 22. 2011
New Noninvasive Prenatal Genetic Testing Could Change Human Pregnancy Forever
A new approach to testing the genes of early-stage fetuses could radically alter the experience of pregnancy and parenting. And we'd better start thinking about it now-before hype, fear, and the polarized politics of abortion distort the discussion.
The technique being developed analyzes fetal DNA that is collected from women's blood as early as five weeks into a pregnancy. So-called "noninvasive prenatal diagnosis," or NIPD, may hit the market as a test for Down syndrome later this year. Soon after, refinements are likely that will allow identification of fetal genes at thousands of sites; two different research groups published papers claiming "proof in principle" of this prospect last December.
Because NIPD would be less invasive, less risky, and less expensive than the kinds of fetal gene tests now available, and because it relies on a simple blood draw so early in pregnancy, it is poised to become a prenatal game changer.
The fetal gene tests now offered are far from a walk in the park. For amniocentesis, a long needle is poked through your abdomen and uterus to extract amniotic...
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Prophets of techno-paradise tend to bloom and then fade but not necessarily disappear. Malcolm and Simone Collins, a husband and wife team, have been on quite a roll for a couple of years. However, their time in the spotlight may at last be coming to a close, after a report revealed their parenting style.
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GATTACA was released in 1997, but — remarkably — is even more relevant now than it was then, as the technologies whose social implications it explores have developed considerably.
On Thursday, June 13, the California Film Institute presented GATTACA to a sold-out house at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center as part of their Science on Screen series. CGS Associate Director Katie Hasson offered framing for the film and participated in a Q+A discussion.
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