Posts filed under ‘Designer Babies’
Health – Designer Embryos To Be Allowed In Certain Cases (2004)
Barcode (ID): 02D0508403 
Main Search Term and Keywords: Designer Babies, Designer Embryo, IVF
Date of Broadcast: 21st July 2004
Clip Duration: 2 min 14 seconds
Scientific Content Rating
Ethical Content Rating
Usefulness for Teaching Bioethics
Description: Britain’s fertility watchdog has taken a momentous decision, bringing a little bit of hope to hundreds of families, and to one family in particular. The watchdog decided it would allow parents - in some circumstances - to create designer embryos in order to save sick brothers and sisters. For Joe and Julie Fletcher, that decision is like a prayer answered.
- Fletcher family
- New rules to bring another child to cure their son
- Bone marrow donation from a sibling that is a match as no one in the family is able to help
- Screen embryos via IVF for the match
- Case by case basis – a treatment of last resort
- Will help save the lives of many children
- Broadening the rule may bring problems of designer babies
Web Link: Click here to access clip (then click on ‘search and browse’)
To download clip, you must login – instructions can be found on the NewsFilmOnline website or on the Accessing Videos page above
Cloning – Scientist Claims To Have Implanted Cloned Embryo In Woman (2004)
Barcode (ID): 03d0626375 
Main Search Term and Keywords: Cloning
Date of Broadcast: 7th January 2004
Clip Duration: 1 min 52 seconds
Scientific Content Rating
Ethical Content Rating
Usefulness for Teaching Bioethics
Description: His claims have caused shock and anger – tonight the maverick scientist who says he’s responsible for what could become the world’s first cloned human being is defiant. Dr Panos Zavos claims to have implanted a cloned embryo into a 35-year-old woman. Although he offered no conclusive proof, doctors, politicians and fertility experts all condemned the move as dangerous and unethical. And he’s planning more controversial treatments.
- Dr Zavos remained defiant – claims to have implanted a cloned embryo into a 35-year-old woman
- Refused to give anymore details about the embryo he has cloned
- Respects opinion of others but says he does things according to the law – ‘whether i’m morally and ethically offensive, its their opinion and i respect that and they can keep it for themselves but they cannot do anything to me to harm me because i do nothing to harm them. I do things according to the law.’
- Dolly the sheep, put down after showing signs of lung cancer
- Medical and scientific authorities are horrified
- Law will not change – John Reid, Health Secretary – ‘we are opposed to designer babies, it is outlawed in this country’
Web Link: Click here to access clip (then click on ‘search and browse’)
To download clip, you must login – instructions can be found on the NewsFilmOnline website or on the Accessing Videos page above
Designer Babies – Report Due (2003)
Barcode (ID): 03D0625690 
Main Search Term and Keywords: Designer Babies, IVF, In Vitro Fertilisation, Genetic Testing
Date of Broadcast: 11th November 2003
Clip Duration: 1 min 41 seconds
Scientific Content Rating
Ethical Content Rating
Usefulness for Teaching Bioethics
Good for illustrating how IVF and test tube techniques are being exploited for parents wanting only to ‘balance their families’ and not for medical purposes.
Description:
The sex of our children is one of the few surprises left in life. And that’s the way it’s going to stay. A report tomorrow by the fertilisation watchdog is expected to say those parents who want to choose – just to balance their families – won’t be allowed to. But it’s thought some designer babies will still be permitted, to avoid gender-related illnesses like haemophilia.
- Alan Masterton fought for right to choose the sex of his baby after his daughter died aged 3 and due to already having 4 boys
- Many go abroad for this treatment – many cannot afford
- Gender selection only currently available to couples have compelling genetic grounds - gender related diseases
- Dr Mohamed Taranissi, fertility expert believes medicine is only for curing illness and disease and choosing whether to have a boy or a girl is not an illness that needs intervention from medical profession
- Report due tomorrow
Web Link: Click here to access clip (then click on ‘search and browse’)
To download clip, you must login – instructions can be found on the NewsFilmOnline website or on the Accessing Videos page above
