Making a Genetically Perfect Twin
Dr. Ian Wilmut, leader of the team that cloned Dolly the sheep, proposes correcting genetic defects in embryos thereby creating a genetically perfect twin.
Prof Wilmut writes: “Doctors should be able to offer at-risk couples the opportunity to conceive with IVF methods, break down the resulting embryos into cells, correct any serious genetic defects in these cells then clone demonstrably healthy cells to create a new embryo that can be implanted to start a pregnancy.”
The resulting child would be the identical twin of the original embryo but would have the diseased gene corrected in every one of its cells. The original embryo would be discarded.
Dr. Wilmut believes that it is a greater disservice not to allow people the choice to take advantage of new genetic technology. Choice - isn’t that what modern life is all about?
You can read an extract from After Dolly: The Uses and Misuses of Human Cloning here.
Telegraph, June 5, 2006
Technorati Tags: ian wilmut, dolly, cloning, dna, genetics, genes, disease, health
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POSTED IN: Genetic Engineering
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2 opinions for Making a Genetically Perfect Twin
river2sea72
Jun 5, 2006 at 12:19 pm
Someone needs to examine his ethics.
Hsien Hsien Lei, PhD
Jun 5, 2006 at 4:30 pm
river2sda72: I’ll let you know who after I read Wilmut’s book. ;)
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