A top fertility clinic has recently announced a new service allowing parents to create so-called 'designer babies'.
The Debate
"Embryo selection isn't really genetic engineering in the technical sense," explains Dr. Brian Peters, owner of the Babies-2-Go Clinic. "It's more like being able to have a dozen abortions per month until you get the foetus you desire. I can't really see what's wrong with parents who can afford it being able to eliminate foetuses with undesirable genetic traits - like stupidity."
"Thou shalt pay for thy sins!" screams Pete McAlpin, waving a crucifix. "This is just meddling with the sanctity of life. If these children are to be born with horrible defects then it's God's will and who are we to question it? This technology must be banned at once!"
"This technology shows promise," muses Elizabeth Bush, minister of health. "But we can't trust the private sector with the future of our nation's children. We must place it under strict government regulation, so that we only screen out embryos with serious genetic conditions."
"This has got me thinkin'," says General Jamil Sato, thumbing through a big folder marked 'X'. "If this technology lets us reduce genetic defects, then couldn't it work the other way? We could create ourselves an army of genetically superior soldiers! With our army of Super Soldiers, no nation would dare stand in our way!
Which one would YOU say is the best to chose, why, and how will it effect my nation?
