...Couples Wishing to Undergo IVF Treatment Should Be Awarded the Legal Right to Choose the Sex of Their Child: Abstract: Sex selection, also known as gender selection, has attracted great interest and controversy over the years. Gender selection has been associated with a number of ethical, moral, social and legal issues. Sex selection may be performed for medical reasons to avoid sex-linked diseases or for parental preference. The topics I will be covering include eugenics, beneficence, utilitarianism and pre-genetic screening in regards to sex linked diseases. Eugenics can be defined as the study or belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human species. In the context of IVF, treatment positive eugenics encourages reproduction by implantation of healthy embryos with inheritable desirable traits and negative eugenics seeks to identify and dispose of embryos found to carry undesirable inheritable traits. Introduction: Utilitarianism in the context of IVF sex selection and genetic screening is defined by the principle of utility, which seeks to judge moral rules, actions and behaviors based on their consequences. Where an action produces the best possible outcome, that being the greatest good for the greatest number it is seen as ethical and moral. Therefore, the testing, screening and disposal of genetically impaired embryos and implantation of only healthy and preferred embryos is justifiable because the outcome...
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...Defines and describes the process of PGD “Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a procedure used prior to implantation to help identify genetic defects within embryos created through in vitro fertilization to prevent certain diseases or disorders from being passed on to the child.” This definition is from Americanpregnancy.org. PGD is used to screen for genetic diseases in embryos before they are placed back into the Uterus through IVF. If an embryo comes back with a genetic disease it is discarded and the viable embryos are the only ones inserted back into the uterus. There are risks that come with this type of test, 1-2% of embryos tested get damaged in the process, and sometimes not all embryos make it to the stage to go through PGD....
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...Running head: ANALYSIS OF ETHICAL DILEMMA Analysis of Ethical Dilemma Deanna Romain Grand Canyon University Ethical Decision Making in Health Care NRS 437V Jennifer Wood August 28, 2011 Analysis of Ethical Dilemma Is gender selection of a fetus ethical? With new advances in reproductive technology, parents can not only find out if their embryo has genetic abnormalities, they can also find out the gender of their embryo. The ethical dilemma is whether or not one should be able to choose their child’s gender before implantation. Some compare this method of gender selection to human cloning. Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is the testing of the chromosomes of the embryo to determine genetic abnormalities and gender prior to in-vitro fertilization (IVF). In the United States, gender selection by PGD is considered a violation of ethical practices for non-medical purposes (Akchurin, n.d.) CNN.com reported recently that a new blood test has been discovered which can determine the sex of a fetus as early as seven weeks gestation. This achievement was reported in the Journal of American Medical Association in August. This technology is already starting ethical debates fearing parents will use this technology for sex determination and abort healthy fetuses (Ravitsky, 2011). This new technology could also be beneficial in determining gender if their child is at risk for a sex-linked disease such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy or hemophilia. In China and India, there...
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...ETHICS FOR HOLISTIC PRACTICE Debate topic – Couples wishing to undergo IVF treatment should be awarded the legal right to choose the sex of their child. Good afternoon everyone our debate topic today is whether or not couples wishing to undergo IVF treatment should be awarded the legal right to choose the sex of their child. I’m Melinda and along with Angelique and Melissa we will be presenting the affirmative argument and the negative argument will be presented by Kristen, Judy and Deb. Sex selection, also known as gender selection, has attracted great interest and controversy over the years. Gender selection has been associated with a number of ethical, moral, social and legal issues. Sex selection may be performed for medical reasons to avoid sex-linked diseases or for parental preference. The topics I will be covering include eugenics, beneficence, utilitarianism and pre-genetic screening in regards to sex linked diseases. Eugenics can be defined as the study or belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human species. In the context of IVF treatment positive eugenics encourages reproduction by implantation of healthy embryos with inheritable desirable traits and negative eugenics seeks to identify and dispose of embryos found to carry undesirable inheritable traits. Utilitarianism in the context of IVF sex selection and genetic screening is defined by the principle of utility which seeks to judge moral rules, actions and behaviours on the basis...
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...this was not possible. Now we are able to decide the sex of our children, and get rid of many genetic conditions or chromosomal disorders. Also, with upcoming technology, we could even choose the physical features and cognitive strengths of our children. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) or embryo screening is the technique used to identify genetic defects in embryos created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) before pregnancy. When one or more parents are known to have a genetic disorder, this screening is performed on the embryo to determine if the child will also have the same genetic disorder (Medscape). In the lab fertilization occurs among the egg and the sperm, and then on day three, a cell is removed and is tested for any genetic disorders. If the cells are detected for a genetic disorder, those genes are removed and only the non-effected genes are placed back into the embryo and placed into the mother by IVF. Besides testing for genetic disorders, when taking out the cell, geneticists, can also detect the sex of the child and change it depending on what the parents want (Medscape). PGD has started a big debate on where to draw the line. With technology advancements, PGD will soon be able to detect what genes depict hair and eye color, cognitive and physical functions, and everything else that makes up a human. Like being able to get rid of genetic disorders, creating the perfect person will not be that hard. Most people would want to create the ultimate...
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...Nicolas Moy Dr. Sheila Abraham BIOL 2633 01 March 2, 2012 DVD Project “Who’s Afraid of Designer Babies? The Ethics of Genetic Screening” An Australian family with a son diagnosed with a rare disease called “Hyper IGM” which essentially is a congenital condition in which a person is born with a vital piece of his/her immune system missing requiring that they receive constant blood transfusions. In this case, the couple goes through a PGD procedure making another child with no disease to cure the oldest child. This procedure of PGD to identify a unimpaired embryo Summary Leanne and Stephen, the Australian couple are in desperate search for a cure to treat their son, BJ’ fatal disease in which doctors determined that the medical name of BJ’s disease is called “Hyper IGM” which is a rare disease, actually, so rare that 2 out of every million children born are diagnosed with this condition. Using PGD (Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis), doctors who specialize in assisted reproduction helped Leanne and Stephen in the journey to find a solution to their child’s issue. The plan would be to essentially create a “extra-parts baby” by testing for a disease-free and HLA matching embryo. If successful, this would procedure would use the blood tissue from the newborn to cure BJ. Of course, once this case hit the public ethical debates arise. One very predominant argument was whether by allowing this couple to proceed with this procedure for therapy, this could potentially...
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...My Sister’s Keeper Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper follows the life of the Fitzgerald family. that covers issues concerning genetic engineering, PGD and savior siblings. Older sister Kate is chronically ill, suffering from leukemia-related illnesses since she was a young child. Her parents, Sara and Brian, conceived younger sister Anna as a genetically-engineered baby to be the perfect match for Kate as a blood and bone-marrow donor. For thirteen years. Anna has gone along with it, but when her parents ask for a kidney, she gets herself a lawyer and sues for medical emancipation; the right over her own body. My Sister’s Keeper covers issues concerning genetic engineering, PGD and savior siblings The story revolves around 13-year-old Anna, a child created in order to serve as a matched tissue donor for her older sister Kate, who suffers from leukemia. At the very beginning of the movie, Anna says, “I’m an allogenic donor—a perfect sibling match. When Kate needs leukocytes or stem cells or bone marrow to fool her body into thinking it’s healthy, I’m the one who provides them. Nearly every time Kate’s hospitalized, I wind up there, too. None of which means anything, except that you shouldn’t believe what you hear about me, least of all that which I tell you myself.” Anna is a savior sibling is a child who was born to provide an organ or cell transplant to Kate, who is affected with a fatal disease in leukemia.Technicians, can screen the multiple embryos that are typically...
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...syndrome and Turner’s syndrome or many more. If the embryo is positive for a disorder the parents have the option to abort it. Another benefit by using this research it can get rid of all genetically transferred diseases leading to a future healthier population. Choosing donor physical and psychological traits essentially means that hopeful parents can buy a baby of their choice, picking everything from hair and eye color to skin color, height, and race. The so-called designer babies that come from such deliberate selection could in the future be created in a laboratory, as scientists understand enough about the human genetic code to possibly alter embryonic DNA for parents who want their babies to look and possibly act a certain way. The ethics of designer babies is questionable for several reasons. On the one hand, by removing random selection from the reproductive process the parents-to-become dangerously close to practicing eugenics: a form of "demographic control" usually associated with racism. On the other hand, the ability to create designer babies could be used to reduce instances of disease in the general population or to otherwise improve...
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...Commission Angela Bussey PGD Website Pharmacist Editor London and South East Medicines Information Service, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust Mary Golding Associate Director Community Health Services East & South East England Specialist Pharmacy Services Sandra Wolper Associate Director Community Health Services East & South East England Specialist Pharmacy Services Liz Mellor Clinical Governance Lead Pharmacist Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Anne Fittock Non-Medical Prescribing National Advisor National Prescribing Centre Production Colin Bowers Web and Publications Officer (Corporate) Merissa Bellew Web and Publications Manager Published by: National Prescribing Centre Ground Floor, Building 2000 Vortex Court Enterprise Way Wavertree Technology Park Liverpool L13 1FB Tel No: (0151) 295 8671 Fax No. (0151) 220 4334 Websites: www.npc.co.uk www.npci.org.uk Contributors © National Prescribing Centre National Prescribing Centre Patient Group Directions 2009 Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Purpose of this document 1.2 Audience for the document 02 03 03 03 06 06 07 07 08 11 11 11 12 12 13 14 15 15 16 16 17 18 19 21 2 How patients receive medicines 2.1 Legislation governing the use of medicines — the key points 2.2 The difference between prescribing and Patient Group Directions 2.3 Exemptions under the Medicines Act 2.4 Choosing the most appropriate mechanism 2.5 When to use a PGD; when to prescribe 3 Using a PGD 3.1 Definition of a PGD 3.2 Professional groups...
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...Introduction The new reproductive technology (NRT) is no exception any more, since Louise Brown, the first "test tube" baby, was born on 25 July, 1978 (Simmons, 2009). Before her parents Lesley Brown and John Brown met Drs Edwards and Steptoe, they had been trying to conceive a baby for nine years, but never succeeded. Because Lesley Brown was diagnosed with fallopian tubes obstruction, at that time, it indeed meant hopelessness of being pregnant without a miracle. Then the ungovernable longings for having a baby impelled Lesley Brown to participated in Drs Edwards and Steptoe's experiments. Lesley Brown was not the only volunteer during the procedure, but she fortunately became the first successful case (Deech & Smajdor，2007). At present, 4 million "test tube" babies have been born around the world（website), thanks to Drs Edwards and Steptoe's great contribution from 1977. But what if geneticists announce that genetics and traits can be predetermined for unborn babies today? Then what will parents order for their new babies? Blond hair or ruddy eyes? Bird’s wings or fish's gills? How about the mermaid’s beauty and Einstein's intelligence? Those questions need to be reflected by young generations, because that may be no longer an imagination of the future. Jeffrey Steinberg, a pioneer of in vitro fertilization (IVF), and the founder of the LA Fertility Institute as well, has already maintained in 2009 that his clinic would carry out trait-selected serves soon (Mara,...
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...Cohen admitted to adding mitochondrial DNA to the embryo what in essence gave the child three parents, the mother, father and the mitochondrial DNA donor. This was the first form of human genetic modification and the long term ramifications are still unknown. One of the children born with the mitochondrial DNA has developed a mild form of autism but it has not been determined if it is because of the genetic modification. Technical advances in the IVF process have made it possible for parents to choose the sex of their child and for embryos to be test for diseases. Fertility doctors are now being asked if they can ensure their child won’t be hyperactive or gay. The only thing that stands in the way of this, practicing eugenics is the ethics and morals of fertility doctors and technical...
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...Their first two children had been boys, and the parents wanted a girl to create a balanced family. Using IFV and PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis), they were able to choose the gender of their child. Through this well-known case of use of Genetic Engineering for aesthetic purposes, “the issues of selection for other traits such as eye color, hair color, athleticism, or height that are not generally related to the health of the child (Ly)” rose into question. The use of genetic selection to prevent or even cure specific diseases is okay, according to The Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs in 1994. However, selecting traits based on characteristics of appearances is unethical. Their support for this reasoning is that it would add another division of the wealthy and the poor to this world. Because of this, the economic divisions of the ability to...
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...Standards for medicines management a We are the nursing and midwifery regulator for England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Islands. • We exist to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the public. • We set the standards of education, training and conduct that nurses and midwives need to deliver high quality healthcare consistently throughout their careers. • We ensure that nurses and midwives keep their skills and knowledge up to date and uphold the standards of their professional code. • We ensure that midwives are safe to practise by setting rules for their practice and supervision. • We have fair processes to investigate allegations made against nurses and midwives who may not have followed the code. b Standards for medicines management Introduction The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the UK regulator for two professions: nursing and midwifery. The primary purpose of the NMC is protection of the public. It does this through maintaining a register of all nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses eligible to practise within the UK and by setting standards for their education, training and conduct. One of the most important ways of serving the public interest is through providing advice and guidance to registrants on professional issues. The purpose of this booklet is to set standards for safe practice in the management and administration of medicines by registered nurses, midwives and specialist community public health...
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...Dr. Abdullah Khurram ------------------------------------------------- BS Emergency, B.Sc Medical. DHMS, RHMP. Diplomate Disaster Management S/O Khurram Saeed D.O.B: 7th November 1987 Domicile: Punjab Address: 56-A, F block, Johar Town, Lahore. Punjab, Pakistan. Mob. +92 331 7129200 , +92 315 6519495 Email: intensivist87@gmail.com ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS 2014 – 16 (continued – Distant learning)) – M.phil MS Project Management (1st semester Continued) COMSATS institute of Information & Technology Virtual Campus, Islamabad 2013 – Postgraduate Diplomate Disaster Risk Management (PGD – 3.5 GPA) Disaster Research institute, Preston University Islamabad 2013 – Masters Medical Emergency & Intensive Care Technology Institution: Nishtar Medical College, Multan University of Health Sciences, Lahore 2010 - DHMS Diploma in Homeopathic Medical Sciences Institution: Dr. Noor Homeopathic Medical College, Multan (Registered with Pakistan Council for Homeopathy, Islamabad) 2009 - Graduation B.Sc Medical Sciences Institution: Emerson College, Multan. (Affiliated with Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan Recognized by HEC) 2006...
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...PART A: The Principal of family determination in organ donation ABSTRACT: This article is written by Mingxu wang,, Wen zang, Xueliang Wang. In this article the point which is stressed upon is that wether family should be given the right to give consent for organ donation of a person if he himself has not stated any statement regarding his will on organ donation. Many ethical views of different societies are discussed, especially the Chinese including the Confucians. Some cases are also explained at the end in which the families of the dead are taking decision about the organ donations. Other problems relating to this matter are also highlighted. There are many school of thoughts based on different religions and different societies. In this article the Chinese, Confucians and Mencius are discussed in detail. The Chinese place their families at a very high position. They give a lot of importance and thus during the process of deciding wether to donate the organs or not, the family is given the highest authority. Confucians however not in favour of the process of organ transplantation. Their point of view is different. They like to keep their moral values. According to them the parts of an individual are gifts from their parents and they should not be messed with.They should be left as such. My opinion, after reading this article, is that after a person dies and he has not stated that wether he would not like to donate the organs then the decision...
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