Ethical Issues and Public Opinion - Britain Expands Rules Governingembryo Selection To Avoid Disease

In 2004 the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority confirmed that British parents whose offspring are at risk for inherited forms of cancer have the right to choose embryos free of the genes that might trigger disease. At least four couples with a history of familial adenomatous poyposis—an aggressive form of colon cancer—have used the procedure to screen embryos produced through in vitro fertilization. British parents are already able to screen embryos for disorders considered untreatable, such as cystic fibrosis and Huntington's disease, but this decision marks the first instance of government sanction of screening to avert risk of disease.