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London (pte019/09.04.2003/11:17) - The Court of Appeal has approved the creation of a 'designer baby' in Great Britain, overturning a previous ruling by the High Court. A couple will be now permitted to have a pre-selected baby, whose cells could be used to heal their four-year-old son.
The four-year-old is suffering from a blood disorder known as thalassaemia, a form of anaemia that causes the body to produce too few red blood cells. In the severe form of the disease, the body's bones do not develop properly. Blood transfusions are a temporary solution, but doctors fear that repeated transfusions could lead to the accumulation of iron in the boy's body. An alternative form of treatment is to implant stem cells from the baby's umbilical cord into the boy's bones.
The parents will now be allowed to use a new tissue-typing screen test to find a suitable embryo, as reported by the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/default.stm .
Critics fear that this new ruling will pave the way for the unbridled creation of 'designer children'. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) http://www.hfea.gov.uk has however said strict regulations were in place to stop people from 'designing' babies for cosmetic reasons.
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