Are they really possible? In the future maybe. Currently we have PGD: Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis.
ART stands for assisted reproductive technology or the science used to make “Test tube babies” as the common person understands. Test tube babies are not really conceived in test tubes. These babies are initially formed in the laboratory with an egg being fertilized by a sperm in the laboratory of an IVF (In vitro fertilization) clinic. “In vitro” literally means “out of the body” since the baby is conceived outside the human body. The whole process is monitored with high resolution microscopes.
The embryo or the microscopic baby is first taken care of in the IVF laboratory and at an appropriate time it is gently placed in the mother’s womb. This process is called “embryo transfer”.
Now if the IVF has been carried out because one or both members of the couple have some inborn defect or a genetic problem, then the embryo can be tested for this same genetic defect by PGD or Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. In brief, one cell is removed from the embryo and tested for the concerned genetic problem. Abnormal embryos can be discarded and only normal embryos transferred in to the uterus. Voila: perfect baby.
In future, it will be perfectly possible that if an abnormal gene is identified it can be replaced with a normal gene. And the possibilities are limitless. Man may not be content to tamper with and replacing abnormal genes. One may want to replace genes for black eyes with blue, and genes for black hair with blonde. Designer Babies: anyone? Get it? It’s opening a whole Pandora’s box for ethicists to ponder about.
