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Designer Babies Technology

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Submitted By knbleile
Words 2073
Pages 9
Karen Bleile
Genetic Report for Designer Babies
Biology 111-112 / J. Thomson
October 30, 2012

In the 21 century the term designer babies made the transition from sci-fi movies into the real world where it is defined as “a baby whose genetic makeup has been artificially selected by genetic engineering combined with invitro fertilization to ensure the presence or absence of particular genes or characteristics.” (Oxford University, 2005) Breeders of animals and plants have been using this technique to “produce organisms that will possess desirable characteristics, such as high crop yields, resistance to disease, high growth rate and many other phenotypical characteristics that will benefit the organism and species in the long term.” (Butler, 2012) We need to pause and ask ourselves if we start to cross breed the human race what are the moral or ethical limits, if any, and should we apply guidelines in allowing people to choose their children’s genes or characteristics when designing a baby.

In many science fiction movies the subject of having genetically modified humans or creatures are often brought up. The creative author has the ability to give their characters any traits they want. They have the power to make the characters stronger, faster, more intelligent, to specify how they look, or simply be superhuman. Now imagine the scenario if the stories cease to lie in just the films we watch and become our reality. Due to scientific advancements in technology and thanks to Crick and Watson for creating a dictionary of our DNA this future is not far off. (Heritage, 2012) Within the last 15 years, couples have already had the ability to decide certain genetic characteristics when creating a child via InVitro fertilization. InVitro fertilization, or IVF, is when a couple

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