Designer Babies: UK Couples Use IVF Loophole to Select Embryos by Intelligence, Height and Health

Key Takeaways:

• Couples in the UK are exploiting a legal loophole to rank their embryos based on genetic predictions of IQ, height, and health using a controversial screening technique.
• The technique, known as polygenic screening, is not permitted at UK fertility clinics, but patients can obtain their embryos’ raw genetic data and send it abroad for analysis.
• Critics have raised scientific and ethical objections to the method, citing concerns about its unproven nature and potential for creating a stratified society.
• Some companies, such as Herasight, offer polygenic screening services, claiming to deliver an average gain of six IQ points for a couple with five embryos.
• The UK’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has stated that polygenic testing is unlawful for use in the UK, but some have questioned whether this position is enforceable.

Introduction to the Controversy
The use of polygenic screening to rank embryos based on genetic predictions of IQ, height, and health has sparked a controversy in the UK. Couples undergoing IVF are exploiting a legal loophole to obtain their embryos’ raw genetic data and send it abroad for analysis, despite the technique being not permitted at UK fertility clinics. Dr. Cristina Hickman, a senior embryologist and founder of Avenues fertility clinic in London, has raised concerns about the issue, stating that it opens a "whole can of worms" and creates "legal and ethical confusion." The HFEA has also weighed in on the issue, stating that polygenic testing is unlawful for use in the UK.

The Polygenic Screening Process
The polygenic screening process involves analyzing an embryo’s DNA to predict its potential characteristics, such as IQ, height, and risk of certain diseases. Companies like Herasight offer this service, claiming to deliver an average gain of six IQ points for a couple with five embryos. The process involves obtaining the embryos’ raw genetic data, which can be accessed by patients under applicable data protection laws. Herasight has built its algorithms using large genetic databases, including UK Biobank, and has published the scientific basis for its predictions. However, critics have raised concerns about the unproven nature of the method and its potential for creating a stratified society.

Ethical Concerns
The use of polygenic screening for embryo selection raises several ethical concerns. Critics argue that the method is unproven and unethical, and that it could lead to a stratified society where wealthier people pay to select the embryos they prefer. There is also a risk of normalizing a belief that some individuals are genetically superior. Prof Angus Clarke, a clinical geneticist at Cardiff University, has stated that companies like Herasight are "dealing in murky science in an emotionally fraught context." He also expressed concerns that parents may find it hard to resist the promise of selecting the "best child possible rather than any old child."

Regulatory Challenges
The HFEA has stated that polygenic testing is unlawful for use in the UK, but some have questioned whether this position is enforceable. Dr. Hickman has pointed out that clinics may not be able to block a couple’s request to transfer a particular embryo, even if it has been selected based on polygenic screening. She has argued that it would be better to allow polygenic testing in the UK, but with strict regulations and guidelines to ensure that it is done ethically. The HFEA’s chief executive, Peter Thompson, has stated that licensed clinics in the UK are responsible for selecting embryos based on what is permitted in the HFE Act, and that they should not offer polygenic testing or make decisions based on that information.

Company Response
Herasight has responded to the controversy, stating that it has been working with parents from across the globe, including families who have undergone IVF treatment in the UK. The company claims to transform routine PGT-A data that parents have legally obtained and provided to them, and that it does not work with or provide data to IVF clinics or influence them in the selection of embryos. However, critics remain skeptical about the company’s claims, and the controversy surrounding polygenic screening is likely to continue.

Conclusion
The use of polygenic screening to rank embryos based on genetic predictions of IQ, height, and health has sparked a controversy in the UK. While some companies like Herasight offer this service, critics have raised concerns about its unproven nature and potential for creating a stratified society. The HFEA has stated that polygenic testing is unlawful for use in the UK, but some have questioned whether this position is enforceable. As the debate continues, it is essential to consider the ethical implications of this technology and to ensure that any regulations or guidelines are in place to protect the rights and well-being of all individuals involved.