UK
CORE Comments on Designer Baby Ruling
By CORE, UK
Apr 29, 2005, 14:46

On receiving today�s ruling from the House of Lords, Josephine Quintavalle of CORE, commented:

�We are naturally very disappointed with this result. The Law Lords have in effect stated that unless there are specific prohibitions to the contrary, the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) can do whatever it pleases. This is not simply about babies being created in the laboratory as tissue matches, but the creation of babies of the right sex, hair colour, intelligence, and so on. Whatever the mother deems to be suitable in an embryo is what she can ask for, according to today�s interpretation of the law. This judgment effectively endorses the terrifying designer baby scenario which our country rightly abhors.

�Although we have lost this single battle, the bigger war will still continue. Fortunately Parliament has already woken up to the fact that its power in the field of assisted reproduction has been both usurped by the unelected HFEA, and weakened by inadequate legislation.

�Through this legal case and continued campaigning over many years, CORE has focused successfully on the muddled and undemocratic role of the HFEA and thankfully this concern is now firmly on the Parliamentary agenda. Plans are already in place to review both the HFEA and the HFE Act. Today�s ruling can and must be rectified.

�Across all political parties and divided ethical positions there is significant consensus that Parliament and not the HFEA should be making the major decisions in this field. CORE is confident that the new Government will reclaim the rightful authority of Parliament in this sensitive ethical arena.�

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