Aussie couple allowed ‘designer baby’

For the first time in Australia, a Melbourne couple has been allowed to use IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) in combination with genetic screening and tissue matching to conceive a ‘‘designer baby’’ in order to treat a seriously sick sibling.

The Epworth Hospital’s ethics committee granted approval for the procedure because the couple’s child is believed to have a terminal illness and its only chance of survival depends on transfusion of umbilical cord blood from a perfectly matched sibling, reports The Age. The technique involves creating embryos using IVF, screening them to ensure they are disease-free, then conducting further testing to ensure the embryo and child’s tissue are compatible. If the embryo meets both tests, it is implanted in the mother.

Monash IVF, which originally made applications to the Epworth on behalf of two couples to perform the procedure, told The Age that it had not been advised of the hospital’s decision. The two applicants were first given interim approval for the procedure by the Infertility Treatment Authority last April but it was dependent upon approval from a hospital ethics committee. It has taken until now for that to happen. It is believed the hospital sought opinion from theologians, ethicists and reproductive scientists such as Professor Alan Trounsen before making its decision.