UK fertility body warns against ``designer'' babies
LONDON, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Britain's fertility treatment regulator
said on Wednesday it would not bend its rules for a couple who want
to choose the sex of their next child. It warned that the case could
set a dangerous precedent for ``designer babies.'' The Human
Fertility Embryology Authority (HFEA), which regulates in-vitro
fertilisation (IVF) treatment in Britain, said Alan and Louise
Masterton from Scotland would have to find a licensed clinic willing
to argue their case. The Mastertons, who have four young boys, want a
baby girl after their only daughter was killed in an accident last
year. But the couple have yet to convince any of the five British
clinics licensed to carry out such gender-selective treatment to take
up their case, because the HFEA guidelines say the treatment should
only be used to avoid serious genetic conditions.
``It was decided we would not allow it for any social, physical or
psychological reasons,'' a spokesman for the regulatory body told
Reuters. ``Our policy is it should not be used to create designer
babies.'' ``The treatment is to avoid serious conditions like cystic
fibrosis, haemophilia, muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular
atrophy,'' he added, saying the Mastertons had not yet officially
applied for permission for the procedure through an approved clinic.
One of the licensed clinics said its own ethics committee declined to
apply to the regulator on their behalf precisely because of the
HFEA's existing guidelines. ``The Mastertons are in a catch-22
situation,'' said Simon Fishel, director of the Centre for Assisted
Reproduction (CARE).
``We are all governed by our own ethics committee. We did put it to
ours and their overriding concern was the view of the HFEA,'' he
added, saying the Mastertons would however be able have the treatment
abroad. British media reported the couple were planning to argue
their case in the courts under the European Convention on Human
Rights, recently incorporated into British law.
Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited.