Genetics analysis and reproduction:

What is preimplanation genetic diagnosis?

Personal Genetics Education Project (pgEd)Harvard Medical School - Wu Labwww.pged.orgComplete lesson plans at: www.pged.org/curricula

Genetics analysis and reproduction:

What is preimplanation genetic diagnosis?

Personal Genetics Education Project (pgEd)Harvard Medical School - Wu Labwww.pged.orgComplete lesson plans at: www.pged.org/curricula

Discussion Questions:

• If you could choose specific traits or qualities that you would want your child to have, what would you choose? Why?

• Are there any you would not want your child to have? What are they? Why?

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What is preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)?

What is preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)?

• PGD is a method to test for certain genetic traits in an embryo, almost always for genetic disease.

• An embryo is created via in vitro fertilization.

• Genetic testing occurs when embryo is 2-4 days old, typically at the 8-cell stage.

• A single cell is removed and tested.

• The results of testing are used to decide which embryos, if any, to implant in prospective mother’s uterus.

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PGD being performed on a 3-day old embryoPGD being performed on a 3-day old embryo

Image via http://www.obgyn.net/Frontiers_In_Reproductive_Medicine/images/PGD.gif

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Real Families impacted by PGD: Molly and Adam Nash and the Hashmis

Real Families impacted by PGD: Molly and Adam Nash and the Hashmis

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/955000/images/_955928_nash150.jpg

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/graphics/2007/08/01/nivf101.jpg

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What % of IVF clinics provide testing for the following reasons?

What % of IVF clinics provide testing for the following reasons?

aneuploidy

autosomal disorders

chromosomal rearrangement

X-linked diseases

non-medical sex selection

avoid adult-onset disease

HLA typing

HLA typing w/o single gene test

Select for a disability

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Public attitudes regarding acceptable uses of PGD:

Public attitudes regarding acceptable uses of PGD:

fatal HLA matchadult onset disease

sex Intelligence/strength

Wants a total ban on PGD

Supports government regulation of safety and quality

Thinks government should regulate ethicsonly

Supports no government regulation

Believes government should regulate safety, quality and ethics

Opinion poll: What role, if any, should the US government play in regulating

preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)?

Opinion poll: What role, if any, should the US government play in regulating

preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)?

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Discussion Questions Discussion Questions

• What are the potential opportunities and challenges of PGD?

• Now that we’ve discussed the issue a bit, did you change your opinion about whether you’d want to choose certain traits for your child?

• If your parents used this on you - should they tell you? Or is it no big deal?

• Do we need rules to guide how this is used? If yes, what sort of rules? Whose job would it be to enforce them?

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For more information, please visit us at www.pged.org