A new U.S. firm is offering embryo screening services, sparking ethical concerns about the potential for 'designer babies.' The technology allows for the selection of embryos based on genetic traits, which critics worry could lead to eugenics. The process involves preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) to identify genetic conditions. The Catholic Church condemns this practice as violating human dignity, as undesirable embryos will be discarded.
9 days ago
A new U.S.-based biotech company, Nucleus Embryo, has launched a service screening human embryos for desired genetic profiles 1. This allows parents undergoing IVF to screen up to 20 embryos for over 900 conditions and traits 1. These include health risks, intelligence, and physical characteristics 1. The company aims to "optimize" embryos by selecting those that meet parental desires for implantation and discarding others 1.
The Catholic Church condemns preimplantation diagnosis as "shameful and utterly reprehensible" 1. It views the practice as an "expression of a eugenic mentality" that leads to the destruction of innocent human life 1. The Church teaches that IVF is morally illicit because it separates procreation from the marital act and violates the dignity of the child 1. The 2008 document Dignitatis Personae affirms that a human embryo cannot be treated as "mere laboratory material" 1.
The practice could marginalize individuals, widen societal divides, and "harm peaceful coexistence among individuals" 1. Father Tad Pacholczyk, a senior ethicist, warns against a "'command and control' mentality over procreation" 1. He states that society's demand for physical perfection places undue pressure on couples to conform by eliminating less-than-perfect children 1. The question of who decides which gene edits are worthwhile and the potential for favoring some over others also raises concerns 1.
The human embryo: When does personhood begin according to Church teaching?
According to Church teaching, personhood begins at conception . From the moment of conception, a human being "must be recognized as having the rights of a person" . The Church has consistently affirmed and defended the human dignity of the fetus, especially when the sense of the humanity of the fetus has been undermined .
Modern genetic science offers clear confirmation that from the first instant, there is established the program of what this living being will be: a person, this individual person with his characteristic aspects already well determined .
From the standpoint of moral obligation, the mere probability that a human person is involved would suffice to justify an absolutely clear prohibition of any intervention aimed at killing a human embryo . The Church has always taught and continues to teach that the result of human procreation, from the first moment of its existence, must be guaranteed unconditional respect .
In summary, the Catholic Church holds that personhood begins at conception, and from that moment, the human being must be respected and treated as a person with the inviolable right to life . This teaching is grounded in both faith and reason, and is supported by modern genetic science .