Designed Babies essay

Inequalities seem inherent to the human society and it exists in every field. Some people befit from the inequalities but other suffer and the designed babies contribute to one aspect to those social, economic, physical, emotional and genetic inequalities that are inherent in the human society. The genetically engineered babies, the babies whose genetic makeup is designed by their parents with the assistance of the scientists to meet the needs and requirements of the parents, have raised the same debates about inequalities in a different context. People debate the harms that these genetically engineered babies cause to the society and the benefits they have for the society (Lanphier, Urnov, Haecker, Werner, & Smolenski, 2015). The harms include creating savior babies, discarding undesired embryos, designing babies with disabilities, Eugenics and contributes to inequalities in the society. In contrast, the benefits include eliminating genetic disorders, desired and improved traits, and save the lives. The paper argues although the genetically designed babies are useful, it must not be implemented until there are proper check and balances to ensure the safety of the designed babies before and after birth and the policies must respond to the current objections of the people.

Most of the opponent arguments against the genetically designed babies would not stand the grounds because they talk about inequalities and abortions, which are problematic but are not caused by it. For examples, inequalities always existed in the human society and it is not something genetically designed babies have created. However, the notion has added a new aspect to the inequalities but it also has the notion to remove some of the social inequalities by abolishing the disabilities in people. Moreover, the wealthy always had the advantage in all kind of things be it education, healthcare or social hierarchy and with the introduction of designer babies. The rich people have an advantage over the field as well. Therefore, the inequalities in the society are problematic, it cannot be abolished by opposing genetically engineered babies (Green, 2008; Lanphier et al., 2015; “Pros and Cons of Designer Babies,” 2018). Consequently, it will exist regardless of how human society develops. In addition, another criticism of genetically engineered babies is that the people might abort the child after getting the stem cells. For instance, the example from Ukraine and the physician involvement in aborting the baby even after seven months is inhuman. However, if physicians manipulate their patients to abort the fetus to get organs and stem cells, the opposition of designed babies is less likely to end the practice. Conversely, if the mothers use their babies’ stem cells and organs, there must be policies to ensure that the mother does not deliberately abort the child after getting the stem cells or organs (“Pros and Cons of Designer Babies,” 2018). Regardless of the designed babies mother can also do it to their normal children, which is why a strong policy for abortions must be implemented but it might add to the debates regarding the mother’s reproductive rights.

Furthermore, the opponents highlight the issue of discarding the unwanted embryos. The parents form embryos until they get their desired results, which causes the destruction of all other embryos as unwanted (Lanphier et al., 2015). It is a serious issue but that is what the designing does. For instance, if a person does not want cancer cells in their children, the person has to discard all the embryos containing cancerous cells. It does not have any other solution. Additionally, the eugenic argument is valid for the reasons of preference of certain skin color or eye color, it is mainly based on assumption that people would prefer white skin over others. Some people might prefer black or brown to others as some people have preferred deafness over the ability to hear (Green, 2008). Although this whole argument does not nullify the inequality this approach might create, it only argues that with technology the type of inequalities change but inequalities, in general, persist in the society.

The proponents argue that the genetically engineered babies are beneficial as they reduce the disabilities and help the parents decide appropriate intellectual or physical abilities for their children. It is embedded in the society that the parents want the best for their children based on their conceptions of best and ethics (Collins, 2018). Although seems problematic, the children learn from their family and environment and endowing the children with best genes helps them to improve their chances to cope with the environment and learn at a faster pace, which is not wrong. It helps to cure the debilitating diseases and improve abilities of the person and other relatives who might not survive without their help and existence (Green, 2008; Lanphier et al., 2015). Therefore, there is no wrong in designing the babies but giving them the freedom to use their abilities when they are grownups.

Hence, the idea and technology of designed babies must not be rejected but tailored to optimize the benefits for human beings. The technology must be engineered in a way to avoid misuse by ensuring the check and balances and having strict policies of genetically engineered babies. The policy must be made to ensure that the babies are not used and disposed at the parents’ discretion. They must have the right to fully enjoy their human rights and live life normally. The designed babies must be treated as the end in itself even though if they were created to help a dying person. Therefore, the government, healthcare agencies, and scientific institutes focus on making policies that eliminate the major concerns of the people instead of deeming the whole technology unethical or useless.

References

Collins, M. (2018). The Need to Regulate “Designer Babies.” Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/regulate-designer-babies/

Green, R. M. (2008, April 13). Building Baby From the Genes Up. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/11/AR2008041103330.html

Lanphier, E., Urnov, F., Haecker, S. E., Werner, M., & Smolenski, J. (2015). Don’t edit the human germ line. Nature News, 519(7544), 410.

Pros and Cons of Designer Babies. (2018). Retrieved from https://opinionfront.com/pros-cons-of-designer-babies