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Health Minister calls for clearer rules on designer babies
The developments in reproductive medicine in recent years have contributed to the fact that now more couples, who were previously childless, can get offspring. However, according to experts, not everything that is medically possible is ethically justifiable. Bavaria's Health Minister Huml has now demanded clearer rules in this area.
Reproductive medicine must have clear limits
A professor at the University of Stanford (USA) suggested last year that sex will no longer be meaningful for children in about 20 years. This is made possible by advances in reproductive medicine. There have indeed been huge developments in this area over the past decades. For example, it is currently planned in Great Britain to produce children with the genetic material of three people. And in Germany, uterine transplants are to be performed in order to fulfill women's wish for a child. However, according to experts, reproductive medicine must also have clear limits.
Although scientific progress can be an important help for couples who want to have children. But not everything that is medically possible is ethically justifiable. Therefore, stricter rules for reproductive medicine are required. (Image: Andrey Popov / fotolia.com) Not everything is ethical
Bavaria's Health Minister Melanie Huml has demanded clearer rules for reproductive medicine.
"In a comprehensive law, all methods of reproductive medicine should be regulated. While scientific progress can be an important help for couples who want to have children. But not everything that is medically possible is ethical, "said Huml, according to a statement from the ministry.
So far, large parts of the reproductive medicine are regulated in the Embryo Protection Act. This is a federal law that came into force in 1991. As stated in the communication, however, the regulations no longer encompass all the modern-day possibilities of modern medicine.
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis only in exceptional cases
The Minister, who is a licensed doctor, warned against rash attempts to so-called designer babies. According to Huml, the Free State ensures that "the medical possibilities such as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PID) are used responsibly".
She continued, "PID should under no circumstances be perceived as a selection tool. Rather, the top priority is always the protection of life. "
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis is the genetic study of an embryo produced by artificial insemination before it is transferred to the uterus. It is targeted to search for hereditary diseases or chromosomal abnormalities.
According to the Embryo Protection Act, PID may only be carried out under strict conditions in exceptional cases. (Ad)