[GeronL]

adult stem cells have proven far better

[silverleaf]

first IVF embryos- then all fetuses
to be checked for imperfections and aborted to save cost to society

[Antoninus]

Mandatory? Whenever the government mandates something like this, it’s not a good thing. Mandatory genetic testing of the unborn in a nation where abortion is legal IS eugenics.

[Aggie Mama]

You know, I typically refrain commenting on the abortion/stem cell threads, but this one just screams for a response... What kind of warped mind argues, “It’s in the best interests of the child,” to ABORT it? If it’s dead, how on earth can it be in the child’s best interests??

[Tax-chick]

On this continuum, the prevention of serious illness seems like an unambiguous and inimitable good. Maybe the benefits are so clear-cut that opting out shouldn't be an option.

So, Mr. Anonymous Author, and yes I'm sure you're male, are you volunteering to be shot as soon as you contract a serious illness? No, I thought not. It's always other people's lives that are surplus to requirements.

[Carry_Okie]

This is laughable. The costs of mutation rates involved in IVF reproduction wildly outweigh any benefit from genetic screening.

[B Knotts]

How does “screening” accomplish anything? He’s not telling the whole truth here.

If you simply substitute “killing” for “screening” in this article, you get a true picture of what he’s really advocating.

[allmendream]

There is little doubt that eugenics would “work” towards making humans posses more of particular desired traits.

But before we go turning people into race horses we should take a long hard look at race horses.

In genetics, as with capitalism, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Almost all things come with an associated cost, a trade off, a point of diminishing returns.

Race horses have thin legs for speed, thin legs that are prone to break. Race horses have thin skin for dumping heat, so thin that it often cracks. Race horses are not as robust and fecund as most other horses.

Are we, as a species, willing to undergo these trade offs?

What traits do you think government would desire among its populace. Free thinking fun loving rebelliousness would not be a desired trait, no doubt.

As to the subject at hand, elimination of a genetic allele that will most certainly cause cancer or insanity or early death is a personal choice and should remain exactly that, a free and personal choice by a private citizen, unencumbered by the long arm of government. IMHO.

[B Knotts]

I misread this...I didn’t see that this is only about IVF, which is immoral anyway, since it results in the deaths of unborn children. If you’ve already accepted IVF, it’s hard to argue against what he’s advocating.