Medical Ethics Discussion: Autism Diagnosis in Embryos – Appropriate or Unnecessary? Ravitsky Weighs In on NPR
A cutting-edge genetic testing method, known as polygenic embryo screening, is gaining traction, offering the potential to screen for a spectrum of health conditions including cancer, obesity, autism, and bipolar disorder. The cultural and societal implications of this development are profound, particularly in how we perceive the worth and meaning of life.
Christina Vardit Ravitsky, our website's President, recently delved into these discussions on NPR's "It's Been a Minute". Her concerns revolve around the possibility that prospective parents might feel ethically obligated to utilize this new tool to select the "best" embryo, potentially leading to a homogenization of what is deemed healthy or desirable life outcomes.
The adoption of polygenic screening could redefine normality and diversity. By selecting embryos based on risk scores for numerous complex traits and conditions, the line between what is considered healthy and desirable could grow increasingly thin. This could reinforce societal stigmas surrounding certain conditions such as autism or bipolar disorder, framing them as less valuable or undesirable life outcomes.
Ethical concerns about meddling with human diversity and chance also arise. Some critics argue that using this technology to select embryos risks transgressing ethical boundaries by giving parents undue control over traits traditionally seen as intrinsic to the human experience. This raises questions about the societal acceptance of engineered choices versus appreciating life's inherent diversity and unpredictability.
Moreover, the ongoing debate around the potential impact on disability and neurodiversity communities cannot be understated. Screening out conditions like autism may lead to a lack of social acceptance and support for neurodiverse individuals. This could indirectly imply that lives with such conditions are less meaningful, which could hamper advocacy for inclusion and equal value of all lives.
The widespread use of polygenic embryo screening brings to light challenging questions about the value we attribute to different lives and the definition of meaningfulness in the context of genetic selection practices.
The application of polygenic embryo screening in health-and-wellness practices could potentially overshadow the importance of mental-health conditions, reinforcing societal stigmas surrounding diseases like autism and bipolar disorder. The increase in sociocultural pressures for the "ideal" healthy life outcomes, as a result of enhanced genetic screening, might negatively impact ongoing discussions about neurodiversity and disability acceptance.
