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Screening Embryos for Blindness / Deafness

Wed, 03/12/2008 - 8:00am — Robert Whitlock
The BBC WHYS program's Ros Atkins is asking what constitutes a disability. Do blindness or deafness constitute a disability? Whether or not you believe that that blindness and deafness are disabling, should embryos be selected and rejected based on the likelihood that the resultant human being would be deaf or blind?

Think about Helen Keller, for example. She led an awesome and amazing life. And there are a lot of people who are deaf and blind who do amazing things.

Also, I have heard that the other senses of people who are deaf or blind kick in to compensate for the lack.
Selecting embryos based on deafness or blindness: are deafness and blindness disabilities?

[go to original]

by Ros Atkins

This started with an interview on one of the BBC’s most popular news show, The Today Programme, and concerned a deaf couple who were trying to have a child using IVF. The husband argued that embryos which may become deaf should not be screened out. He wants all embryos to be treated equally because he doesn’t view being deaf as a disability. Do you?

Comments

Thu, 03/13/2008 - 2:02pm — Robert Whitlock

from Democracy Now!David

from Democracy Now!
David Paterson to Become First African American Gov in NY History, First Blind Gov in US History On Monday, New York Lieutenant Governor David Paterson will be sworn in to replace Eliot Spitzer as the state’s chief executive. Paterson will become New York’s first African American governor and the first blind governor in the nation’s history. We speak with Harlem journalist Herb Boyd, who has covered Paterson for years; New York State Senator Liz Krueger, who worked closely with David Paterson during his time in the New York Senate; and Carl Augusto, the president of the American Foundation for the Blind. [includes rush transcript]
Aldo Leopold: "We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect."
Thu, 03/13/2008 - 8:47pm — security_six

And then what?

 Kill the undesirable emybros?  I see no reason to screen them, you roll the dice, you take your chance.  If you don't get what you want out of a kid, tough.  Get fixed.  You rolled, you lost.  I believe people should reproduce to replace themselves.  Two people, two kids.  Can't have any?  Tough.  Adopt.  Nature didn't want you to have any then.  If I sound harsh, sorry, this is something I feel strongly about.

 

"MORBO SAYS STONE TO FLESH DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY."

 

Fri, 03/14/2008 - 9:31am — Merwyn Haskett

You are harsh, but you are

You are harsh, but you are also correct.

I speak as one-half of a couple where health and medicine dictates we adopt when we're ready for kids.

I don't think there should be any reason to destroy embryos.

Fri, 03/14/2008 - 9:57am — Guglielmo

Your views are not particularly harsh or unusual

but your presentation is rather bitter, which makes your opinion only seem harsh. You could use the same tone to describe a rather harsh split pea soup recipe. "Don't like ham? Tough. Get a substitute..."
Fri, 03/14/2008 - 11:43am — security_six

Something I feel strongly on

 I see people with herds of kids, or what really gets me, people who get fertility treatment and then have a small litter of children...  it's weird.  I have no great reason to feel angry over this, but it is something I feel strongly on.  I personally have made the decision not to reproduce, my own small contribution to overpopulation.  

“How many more times are we going to cower under tables and chairs, whimpering like mindless dogs, thinking that someone else has the responsibility to save and protect us?” -Ted Nugent

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