Adam Nash (savior sibling)

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Adam Nash (born August 29, 2000) is an American who was conceived using preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). [1]

Early life

His parents conceived him through in-vitro fertilization and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) so he could donate cord blood to Molly his sister, who was born with a complex kind of anemia, and be free of the disease himself. [2] [3] Nash was born on August 29, 2000, by Caesarean section. [2] [4] [5] In October 2000, the blood from his umbilical cord was transplanted to his sister. [3] [6]

Nash's conception and birth received both praise and criticism due to the ethical issues surrounding PGD and was also the inspiration of the novel My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. Nash has been called "the world's first savior sibling" [1] [5] and "the first designer baby". [3]

Related Research Articles

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In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a process of fertilisation where an egg is combined with sperm in vitro. The process involves monitoring and stimulating a woman's ovulatory process, removing an ovum or ova from their ovaries and letting a man's sperm fertilise them in a culture medium in a laboratory. After the fertilised egg (zygote) undergoes embryo culture for 2–6 days, it is transferred by catheter into the uterus, with the intention of establishing a successful pregnancy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Preimplantation genetic diagnosis</span> Genetic profiling of embryos prior to implantation

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis is the genetic profiling of embryos prior to implantation, and sometimes even of oocytes prior to fertilization. PGD is considered in a similar fashion to prenatal diagnosis. When used to screen for a specific genetic disease, its main advantage is that it avoids selective abortion, as the method makes it highly likely that the baby will be free of the disease under consideration. PGD thus is an adjunct to assisted reproductive technology, and requires in vitro fertilization (IVF) to obtain oocytes or embryos for evaluation. Embryos are generally obtained through blastomere or blastocyst biopsy. The latter technique has proved to be less deleterious for the embryo, therefore it is advisable to perform the biopsy around day 5 or 6 of development.

New eugenics, also known as liberal eugenics, advocates enhancing human characteristics and capacities through the use of reproductive technology and human genetic engineering. Those who advocate new eugenics generally think selecting or altering embryos should be left to the preferences of parents, rather than forbidden. "New" eugenics purports to distinguish itself from the forms of eugenics practiced and advocated in the 20th century, which fell into disrepute after World War II.

Sex selection is the attempt to control the sex of the offspring to achieve a desired sex. It can be accomplished in several ways, both pre- and post-implantation of an embryo, as well as at childbirth. It has been marketed under the title family balancing.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julian Savulescu</span> Australian philosopher and bioethicist

Julian Savulescu is an Australian philosopher and bioethicist of Romanian origins. He is Chen Su Lan Centennial Professor in Medical Ethics and director of the Centre for Biomedical Ethics at National University of Singapore. He was previously Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford, Fellow of St Cross College, Oxford, director of the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, and co-director of the Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities. He is visiting professorial fellow in Biomedical Ethics at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Australia, and distinguished visiting professor in law at Melbourne University since 2017. He directs the Biomedical Ethics Research Group and is a member of the Centre for Ethics of Pediatric Genomics in Australia. He is a former editor and current board member of the Journal of Medical Ethics, which is ranked as the No.2 journal in bioethics worldwide by Google Scholar Metrics, as of 2022. In addition to his background in applied ethics and philosophy, he also has a background in medicine and neuroscience and completed his MBBS (Hons) and BMedSc at Monash University, graduating top of his class with 18 of 19 final year prizes in Medicine. He edits the Oxford University Press book series, the Uehiro Series in Practical Ethics.

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Dmitri Dozortsev is a Russian-American physician scientist, inventor and researcher. Dozortsev's contributions in research and publications are mostly in the areas of human reproductive medicine and biology. In particular, he is best known for his studies of in vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer. Dozortsev currently serves as President of the American College of Embryology and as Director of Omni-Med laboratories.

References

  1. 1 2 "Baby created to save older sister". BBC News.
  2. 1 2 Steinbock, Bonnie (2003). "Using Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis to Save a Sibling: The Story of Molly and Adam Nash". In Bonnie Steinbock; John D. Arras; Alex John London (eds.). Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine (6 ed.). McGraw-Hill. pp.  544–545.
  3. 1 2 3 Justo Aznar MD, Ph D. "Designer Babies: A Question of Ethics". Institute of Life´s Science of the Catholic University of Valencia, Spain. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03.
  4. Dickens, BM (2005). "Preimplantation genetic diagnosis and "saviour siblings"". Inter J Gynecol Obstet. 28 (1): 91–96. doi:10.1016/j.ijgo.2004.10.002. PMID   15617721. S2CID   11019350.
  5. 1 2 Kirsty Horsey. "US 'saviour siblings' spark debate". Progress Educational Trust.
  6. Wolf SM; Kahn JP; Wagner JE (2003). "Using preimplantation genetic diagnosis to create a stem cell donor: issues, guidelines and limits". J Law Med Ethics. 31 (3): 327–339. doi:10.1111/j.1748-720x.2003.tb00097.x. PMID   14626542. S2CID   10718792.