Since the discovery of DNA in the late 1950's, the possibility of genetic modification of animals and plants has become a reality. However is the reality of designer babies going to far?

for the NHS would be an obvious benefit. The quality of life for those who would of otherwise suffered the effects of the disease for which there is no improvement. Major killer diseases, mainly heart disease, Britons most common cause of death, would certainly be less common, or eradicated for good. But do we want perfect, disease free individuals? The advantages for society as a whole would be numerous. This would include economic advantages; if people were not suffering from genetic diseases the health care budget could be decreased and the money relocated to other areas of need. The resources and scientific efforts could be moved into areas, which are not genetically related, and this could decrease the number of un-curable amount of diseases. Prospective parents will be able to select certain traits in the unborn child, such as people living in China where having a male child has many advantages both socially and economically, this would also stop people mistreating or aborting, both legal and illegally, their child if they did not poses a required trait. With the ever-expanding knowledge of genealogy perhaps we could even eradicate certain traits of anti-social behaviour.The disadvantages of designer babies are equally important as the advantages. The moral issues have to be addressed and this is the single area, which the public΄s attention, as a whole, is bought to through the media because of the actions of the numerous campaign groups. Should the human race change the messiah’s will? Or should it be left to the people that suffer. Is it right that a parent can pick the personal appearance of their child? Eye, hair and skin colour can all be pre-determined, though if the parent does not have the genes of their child altered for the positive what will society make of them, as Designer babies become, inevitably more common, will that be considered un-natural and a thing of the past. Or if the baby is diagnosed with a genetic disorder in time for genetic alterations to be performed and the parent’s religious beliefs stop them from allowing and consenting the designing to commence what will happen? Will the courts intervene such as in the recent case of Jodi and Mary whose parents refused them medical treatment on religious grounds? All these questions will have to be answered before designer babies are allowed. Or will these questions be dealt with when the problems arise? The medical issues of designer babies in a detrimental way also have to be dealt with. If the genetic code of a child is altered will that affect its children and their ascendants? Another factor is of course the nurture or nature argument. Before parents look towards genealogy to produce their perfect baby, perhaps they should look inwards towards their own values and aspirations. Will designer babies also require personality traits to be engineered into their DNA? If the genetic code is altered and tampered with too much that would surely have a detrimental effects such as infertility and so forth. What will the limitations be on designer babies? Will the technology only be applied to medical disorders-orders, will it be means tested and which type of disorders? Hereditary boldness or a crippling ailment such as Down syndrome. If it is going to be made legal to design babies who will police it? If theperson who wants the designing to be done has the right money, though by law are not granted to be eligible for the procedure, surely like everything else black market and under-world designing of babies will occur and this opens yet another Pandora’s box. These are some fundamental questions that also relate to the reason why children develop the way they do? Can science over ride how a child is bought up? In conclusion I think that there are many good and positive things to come out of genetic modifications in designer babies, the idea of decreasing or even eradicating the number of genetic diseases is a very encouraging one, though with every good things come a bad thing. The consequences of designer babies can only be predicted in theory, but will theory support a test number of people born with every genetic disorder known to man or are all genetic disorders-orders known to man? I think to allow designer babies legally would be very easy looking the positive aspects alone, though put along sides together the more questions are needed to be answered. I think in my opinion designer babies should not be allowed until all the questions have been answered and this will take along time. Until then I think we will have to wait and see what the Government have to say. Or possibly a photograph of the first designer baby?