designer babies, is this the only way to combat disease and disability?

[alibubbles]

This is the subject for my DD's French A level oral exam. Please do not be offended or upset, she realises that it is a passionate and emotive subject for many on here, but would like to have first hand feelings and thoughts to help her present both sides of the statement. Thank you for your help.

[Lou33]

Id there any specific area she needs to concentrate on? Maybe you/ she could post some questions that we could answer?

[Jimjams]

does disability need to be "combated"- some people with disabilities just want to be accepted. The deaf culture is a good place to look for that sort of stuff of see here for another example

[misdee]

why is being different consideered a disability? its a tough subject really.

[SueW]

She could refer to that advisor to the Govt ethics committee's views mentioned late last week on here as part of it.

And what about those who develop their disability post birth?

I may have told this story on her before but I had a scan at 18 weeks where the midwife pointed out lots of bits of my baby. When I asked for photos though, I was told they had to be kept for the hospital's records.

As I walked home, it suddenly occurred to me that I hadn't had arms pointed out to me. I spent the next couple of hours trying to come to terms with this, and speaking to friends and making a joke of it whilst they tried to reassure me that if something had been wrong, wheels would have been put in motion.

I seriously considered whether, when I went for my next scan, the bed would be surrounded by Important People and they would try to persuade me that I should terminate the pregnancy. Then it came to me, that if I had a 'normal' child and it ran out in front of a car, would I want to have it 'put down' if it lost its arms as a result of the accident?

A few worrying days ensued and at the next scan, all was normal. Of course, DD has gone on to develop a chronic condition but there's no way that they could screen for reoccurence in future children or could have detected it in her.

Just my 2p.