Genetics analysis and reproduction:
What is preimplanation genetic diagnosis?
Personal Genetics Education Project (pgEd)Harvard Medical School - Wu Labwww.pged.orgComplete lesson plans at: www.pged.org/curricula
Genetics analysis and reproduction:
What is preimplanation genetic diagnosis?
Personal Genetics Education Project (pgEd)Harvard Medical School - Wu Labwww.pged.orgComplete lesson plans at: www.pged.org/curricula
Discussion Questions:
• If you could choose specific traits or qualities that you would want your child to have, what would you choose? Why?
• Are there any you would not want your child to have? What are they? Why?
personal genetics education project
What is preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)?
What is preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)?
• PGD is a method to test for certain genetic traits in an embryo, almost always for genetic disease.
• An embryo is created via in vitro fertilization.
• Genetic testing occurs when embryo is 2-4 days old, typically at the 8-cell stage.
• A single cell is removed and tested.
• The results of testing are used to decide which embryos, if any, to implant in prospective mother’s uterus.
personal genetics education project
PGD being performed on a 3-day old embryoPGD being performed on a 3-day old embryo
Image via http://www.obgyn.net/Frontiers_In_Reproductive_Medicine/images/PGD.gif
personal genetics education project
Real Families impacted by PGD: Molly and Adam Nash and the Hashmis
Real Families impacted by PGD: Molly and Adam Nash and the Hashmis
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/955000/images/_955928_nash150.jpg
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2007/08/01/nivf101.jpg
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What % of IVF clinics provide testing for the following reasons?
What % of IVF clinics provide testing for the following reasons?
aneuploidy
autosomal disorders
chromosomal rearrangement
X-linked diseases
non-medical sex selection
avoid adult-onset disease
HLA typing
HLA typing w/o single gene test
Select for a disability
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Public attitudes regarding acceptable uses of PGD:
Public attitudes regarding acceptable uses of PGD:
fatal HLA matchadult onset disease
sex Intelligence/strength
Wants a total ban on PGD
Supports government regulation of safety and quality
Thinks government should regulate ethicsonly
Supports no government regulation
Believes government should regulate safety, quality and ethics
Opinion poll: What role, if any, should the US government play in regulating
preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)?
Opinion poll: What role, if any, should the US government play in regulating
preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)?
personal genetics education project
Discussion Questions Discussion Questions
• What are the potential opportunities and challenges of PGD?
• Now that we’ve discussed the issue a bit, did you change your opinion about whether you’d want to choose certain traits for your child?
• If your parents used this on you - should they tell you? Or is it no big deal?
• Do we need rules to guide how this is used? If yes, what sort of rules? Whose job would it be to enforce them?