PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS AND THE SELECTION OF CHILDREN

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DESCRIPTION (Adapted from the Investigator's Abstract): This project titled "Prenatal Diagnosis and the Selection of Children" will undertake a comprehensive analysis of the ethical, legal and social issues relevant to professional standards and public policy for prenatal diagnostic services. Genetic tests, sophisticated imaging technologies and new methods to access fetal and embryonic tissues will make prenatal diagnosis possible for an expanding list of conditions. Prenatal diagnosis for "mild" health conditions, late-onset conditions and for behavioral and physical conditions that fall within the normal range may be possible in the foreseeable future. Given the current and anticipated capabilities to perform prenatal diagnosis, the medical profession, and society more broadly, must decide how these technologies should be used. Specifically, what prenatal diagnostic tests should professionals offer prospective parents or provide upon request? Should there be limits on the tests made available to prospective parents or should choices be unlimited, restricted only by the individual values of informed couples? This project will undertake an analysis of the literature relevant to the development of professional standards for the application of this technology. Particular attention will be paid to literature from the disability community, as well as to the broad range of medical and bioethics literature. The principal product of this two year project will be a book titled "The Transparent Womb: Prenatal Diagnosis and the Biologic Selection of Children." The book will be written for the educated lay community, as well as for the medical profession and bioethics communities. There is an urgent need to develop a social consensus on the appropriate uses of prenatal diagnosis. This project will develop a clear proposal in this regard and foster a broad debate on these important issues.