Silicon Valley Startups Use 'Dolly' Method to Pick 'Super' Embryos
A groundbreaking technology, akin to the method used to clone Dolly the sheep, is now being employed by several American startups to assess the intelligence and health prospects of future children. The Wall Street Journal has reported on these companies offering IQ tests for embryos, predicting the likelihood of conditions like cancer, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's.
The key innovation lies in a process called 'mitomeiosis', which allows scientists to shed extra chromosomes from the reconstructed egg cell. This process has proven its feasibility, with 9% of 82 fertilized egg cells reaching the blastocyst stage, ready for implantation in an IVF procedure.
Tech company executives in Silicon Valley are reportedly paying up to $50,000 to select the most 'high-performing' embryos. The method involves transplanting the nucleus of a human skin cell into a donor egg cell stripped of its own nucleus. This could potentially benefit women who have exhausted their own eggs and same-sex couples seeking genetically related children.
While the technology holds promise for those struggling with fertility, it also raises ethical questions. The ability to select embryos based on predicted intelligence and health could exacerbate social inequalities. Further dialogue and regulation are needed to ensure this technology is used responsibly.
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