NationStates Jolt Archive

This is great news! It's technically eugenics but a new word may be developed for this kinda health related interventions cause of the negative connotations of the word eugenics.


LONDON (AFP) - A mother who is the first woman in Britain to have a baby selected free of a gene which causes breast cancer has given birth succesfully, doctors said Friday.

"The mother and her little girl are doing very well," said University College London (UCL) of the baby, who grew from an embryo screened to ensure it did not contain the faulty BRCA 1 gene.

The baby's 27-year-old mother, who wants to remain anonymous, decided to take the step because several of her husband's close female relatives suffered from breast cancer.

Any daughter born with the BRCA 1 gene has an 80 per cent risk of developing breast cancer and a 60 per cent chance of developing ovarian cancer -- as well as a 50 percent risk of passing on the anomaly to their own children.

Doctors said the parents were relieved to have a guarantee that the faulty gene would not be passed to their daughter.

"This little girl will not face the spectre of developing this genetic form of breast cancer or ovarian cancer in her adult life," said Paul Serhal, head of the Assisted Conception Unit at UCL Hospital.

"The parents will have been spared the risk of inflicting this disease on their daughter. The lasting legacy is the eradication of the transmission of this form of cancer that has blighted these families for generations," he said.

The mother said in June: "We felt that, if there was a possibility of eliminating this for our children, then that was a route we had to go down."

The procedure was carried out using a technique known as pre-implantation genetic diagnosis which has already been used here to screen embryos resulting from in vitro fertilisation for disorders like cystic fibrosis.

It was given the green light in Britain in 2006.

The procedure is still relatively rare but has been used to screen embryos for breast cancer in the United States and Belgium.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090109/health/britain_health_cancer_children

Do you think advances in genetics will erease all or most of hereditary diseases within this century?

Hopefully...I suspect Right-Wing-Religious nutjobs'd stand in the way in my country, unfortunately...

But If I ever get kids im going to make sure they run every screen/test/whatever to filter out shit like that, lol...

Eugenics is the best idea! Thank you Nova Magna Germania!

Hopefully...I suspect Right-Wing-Religious nutjobs'd stand in the way in my country, unfortunately...

But If I ever get kids im going to make sure they run every screen/test/whatever to filter out shit like that, lol...

Shit like that has a pretty wide range. I was talking about diseases like cancer.

So can we grind up this baby to use for an anti-cancer vaccine?

So can we grind up this baby to use for an anti-cancer vaccine?

How about tacos?

Do you think advances in genetics will erease all or most of hereditary diseases within this century?

Not until all procreation occurs in test tubes no.

How about tacos?

Vaccines in the form of tacos would be much more enjoyable than in the form of injections.

This is great news! It's technically eugenics but a new word may be developed for this kinda health related interventions cause of the negative connotations of the word eugenics.


http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/090109/health/britain_health_cancer_children

Do you think advances in genetics will erease all or most of hereditary diseases within this century?

why am I picturing GATTACA?

why am I picturing GATTACA?

I pictured the same. It must have some correlation. ;)

I agree that it's a fine line, but it's still a good thing if we can eliminate something like cancer, which has absolutely no benefits to humanity whatsoever.

why am I picturing GATTACA?A fondness for movies?

There is a bit of difference between selecting embryos free of (specific) genetic diseases and genetically enhancing them (or for that matter, selecting for genetic advantages).

A fondness for movies?

There is a bit of difference between selecting embryos free of (specific) genetic diseases and genetically enhancing them (or for that matter, selecting for genetic advantages).

Not that I, personally, wouldnt do that in a heartbeat, lol...

A fondness for movies?

There is a bit of difference between selecting embryos free of (specific) genetic diseases and genetically enhancing them (or for that matter, selecting for genetic advantages).

so what's in place to prevent it from going towards GATTACA?

the Morals of the scientists involved?

so what's in place to prevent it from going towards GATTACA?

the Morals of the scientists involved?

Non-discrimination laws? The big issue of GATTACA wasn't that genetically-enhanced people existed, it's that they left non-enhanced people as a serf-like lower class.

the Morals of the scientists involved?
Everyone knows scientists are all misguided madmen without God and His light.

Non-discrimination laws? The big issue of GATTACA wasn't that genetically-enhanced people existed, it's that they left non-enhanced people as a serf-like lower class.

Those self same non-discrimination laws are working soo well now days?

Those self same non-discrimination laws are working soo well now days?

They're not? They work for Australians. How are they failing for Americans?

They're not? They work for Australians. How are they failing for Americans?

so there are no cases of Aborigonies being discriminated against down there?

so there are no cases of Aborigonies being discriminated against down there?

Not since there weren't enough to make a case....

So can we grind up this baby to use for an anti-cancer vaccine?
I believe the generally accepted procedure is to devour her flesh in order to gain her powers. First, of course, you must defeat her in hand to hand combat, but that should be pretty easy (her being a baby and all).

Not since there weren't enough to make a case....

see. so if there are not enough non-enhanced people, then it's not discrimination. ;)

Vaccines in the form of tacos would be much more enjoyable than in the form of injections.

Clearly. *nod*

Not until all procreation occurs in test tubes no.

That would require some really big test tubes. But I must say that the idea has merit. :)

Non-discrimination laws? The big issue of GATTACA wasn't that genetically-enhanced people existed, it's that they left non-enhanced people as a serf-like lower class.
I think the best proof that this won't happen is George W. Bush. The guy has an IQ of 80 (yes, I know, but for the sake of the argument) and is at the very top of the world.

I think the best proof that this won't happen is George W. Bush. The guy has an IQ of 80 (yes, I know, but for the sake of the argument) and is at the very top of the world.

Idk, 80 seems about right...I mean thats not that high, lol...

Idk, 80 seems about right...I mean thats not that high, lol...
That was the point. While people with IQ of 120+ (internet-IQ of 140+) are often stuck in not too well-paying, but geeky jobs. "Genewanking" people with high IQ, not to mention how difficult it is, will just produce a big influx of talented programmers.

Physical strength has even less importance today.


I'm kidding you not, the only human measurement that's gonna significantly increase when they start human genetic engineering is penis size.

That was the point. While people with IQ of 120+ (internet-IQ of 140+) are often stuck in not too well-paying, but geeky jobs. "Genewanking" people with high IQ, not to mention how difficult it is, will just produce a big influx of talented programmers.

Physical strength has even less importance today.


I'm kidding you not, the only human measurement that's gonna significantly increase when they start human genetic engineering is penis size.

Ah, i get it, lol...

But Im not sure about anything anymore, I was promised Suicide Booths in 2008 :(

That was the point. While people with IQ of 120+ (internet-IQ of 140+) are often stuck in not too well-paying, but geeky jobs. "Genewanking" people with high IQ, not to mention how difficult it is, will just produce a big influx of talented programmers.

Physical strength has even less importance today.


I'm kidding you not, the only human measurement that's gonna significantly increase when they start human genetic engineering is penis size.

waddya talking about. the intelligent ones DON"T WANT the job of being President. :p

Non-discrimination laws? The big issue of GATTACA wasn't that genetically-enhanced people existed, it's that they left non-enhanced people as a serf-like lower class.

I am afraid that movie is a very good possible outcome for the future of humanity.

I am afraid that movie is a very good possible outcome for the future of humanity.

Doubt it. Even if genetic modification for embryos becomes the norm, I expect that it would be supplemented with genetic modification for the already born.

Basically, it'd end up close to Bioshock than GATTACA.

Doubt it. Even if genetic modification for embryos becomes the norm, I expect that it would be supplemented with genetic modification for the already born.

.

Well this would all require money. The haves would widen the gap with the have nots.

so there are no cases of Aborigonies being discriminated against down there?

Not any more.