Designer Babies are here: Can We Engineer a Better Human?
The medtech blogsphere is dominated by news of Helio Genomics, a company offering to help wealthy couples screen their embryos for IQ.
Helio Genomics describes itself as an expert in the fields of statistical genetics, bioinformatics, and computational biology. They claim to utilize polygenic scores and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to improve understanding of the genetic basis of disease and human behavior. Helio Genomics also applies advanced machine learning algorithms to its work to continually refine its predictions.
Helio Genomics is succeeding because they are tapping into every parent's wishes and fears. Every parent wants a healthy, cute, and smart baby. In fact, company CEO Michael Christensen was quoted saying, 'Everyone can have all the children they want, and they can have children that are basically disease-free, smart, and healthy.' It seems the era of designer babies is finally here.
The topic of designer babies is a controversial one that has been around for decades. Some people believe that designer babies could lead to a future where parents can choose their children's traits, such as intelligence, height, and eye color. This could lead to a more unequal society, where the wealthy have access to these technologies and the poor do not. Others believe that designer babies could be used to prevent genetic diseases and disabilities, leading to a healthier and more equal society. If we believe that inequality stems from biology rather than social causes, then this could be one solution.
Back to Helio Genomics.
Helio Genomics does not provide IVF services but rather uses algorithms to analyze the genetic data supplied by parents to predict the specific traits of their individual embryos. They claim that selecting the 'smartest' of 10 embryos would lead to an average IQ gain of more than six points, although other traits such as height and risk of obesity or acne could be prioritized depending on personal preferences.
My personal view is that the cat is already out of the bag. Several companies are actively involved in using genetics to predict diseases in babies. Some claim to offer genetic testing to help prospective parents select embryos with the best possible genes. Their tests can screen embryos for a variety of diseases and health conditions. Others offer a range of genetic tests, including tests for hereditary cancer risk and other genetic disorders. This includes companies like Genomic Prediction, Fabric Genomics, Myriad Genetics, Genomics England, and others.
The parenting game will never be the same. Imagine a prospective wife or husband saying, 'I need your genetic material to check not only that our babies will be disease-free but also smart and cute.' Some argue that we already select mates based on the characteristics we like. People choose a future baby daddy or mommy based on what they deem desirable, among other factors.
Welcome to the brave new world.
Recommended by LinkedIn
Need funding for your practice? Use the link below to apply! https://lnkd.in/d3ADcQxD
Contact us now to explore our range of medical equipment tailored to your needs. Your patients deserve the best – let's make it happen together.
Contact www.lepekemedical.com
Get the answer you need today! Home paternity test is the simplest and fastest way to confirm whether an alleged father is the biological father of a child. This reliable paternity test results are 99.99% accurate and 100% confidential. use the link: