IVF embryo ranking sparks designer baby concerns

Australian IVF clinics are offering polygenic testing that ranks embryos based on their likelihood of developing traits such as height, intelligence, hair colour, and chronic health conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and ADHD. Melbourne IVF and the Virtus Network consider this technology unproven and ethically problematic, distinguishing it from established single-gene screening for conditions like cystic fibrosis and cancer. The NHMRC currently governs IVF practices in Australia, permitting testing only to prevent known genetic conditions that cause suffering, not for traits influenced by environmental factors and lifestyle.

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