Baby to be born free of breast cancer after embryo screening

[gatorboy]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article4232383.ece

A woman has conceived Britain’s first baby guaranteed to be free from hereditary breast cancer.

Doctors screened out from the woman’s embryos an inherited gene that would have left the baby with a greater than 50% chance of developing the cancer.

The woman decided to have her embryos screened because her husband had tested positive for the gene and his sister, mother, grandmother and cousin have all had the cancer.

<snip>

The couple produced 11 embryos, of which five were found to be free from the gene. Two of these were implanted in the woman’s womb and she is now 14 weeks pregnant.

[SoCalDem]

1. One less chance of getting it..but not entirely sure to never get it

I'm sure the parents will rest easier though ..so maybe it will pay off in the end.. Susceptibility does not mean you will get something...just that you have a higher risk.. And on the flip side, every woman who gets it with NO family history..still got it :(

[BlooInBloo]

2. WOOT!!!!!

EDIT: One wonders why people accept genetically modified *people*, but are squeamish about genetically modified *food*.

[Swamp Rat]

3. Thus begins the New Eugenics.

[wuushew]

4. How so?

This isn't about blue eyes and blond hair. I think you will be hard pressed to find advocates for no brainier genetic disorders.

The best medicine is that which ultimately eliminates the disease. If we can extinguish ALS, MS, diabetes, etc. Should we not?




This seems like a win for the mother and health of the human race. Please describe the downside you envision.