Comments on: Spanish Baby Engineered To Cure Brother http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/ Spicy Coverage: Gossip, media, culture and lifestyle for Latinos. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:12:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Guest http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-25030 Guest Sat, 18 Apr 2009 09:47:28 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-25030 Can any one please help me to get more information on the hospital and the dcotors behind this. I would like to know more about this as my 3 and hlf years old son suffers from Cerebral Palsy and I would like to know from the doctors the possibilty of helping him to heal. Please can anyone help. Can any one please help me to get more information on the hospital and the dcotors behind this. I would like to know more about this as my 3 and hlf years old son suffers from Cerebral Palsy and I would like to know from the doctors the possibilty of helping him to heal. Please can anyone help.

]]> By: Jessie http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17083 Jessie Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:53:25 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17083 First, to the Law and Order fanatic- this is real life, not a Bruckheimer original. The facts are these: This couple was going to have another child that could have been effected by the same fatal disease as his brother. The couple saw a chance to ensure their second child's life would not be touched by SCID, while also hoping that there would be a genetic match up for a bone marrow transplant that could possibly save their oldest son. Doctors took fluid from the umbilical cord, and no harm was done to the younger child. Why, I ask, would a person not choose this route? Parents faced with circumstances such as these are wrought with distress over decisions. The fact that this couple used the scientific advancement of in vitro fertilization to ensure their child a life free of the isolation and pain that comes with SCID, while giving hope to their oldest son shows the love involved in the decision. This is no case of genetically engineering your child to look or act a certain way, it's saving a life, maybe even two. Yes, science is saving lives, and i'm happy to say so. First, to the Law and Order fanatic- this is real life, not a Bruckheimer original.
The facts are these:
This couple was going to have another child that could have been effected by the same fatal disease as his brother.
The couple saw a chance to ensure their second child’s life would not be touched by SCID, while also hoping that there would be a genetic match up for a bone marrow transplant that could possibly save their oldest son.
Doctors took fluid from the umbilical cord, and no harm was done to the younger child.

Why, I ask, would a person not choose this route?
Parents faced with circumstances such as these are wrought with distress over decisions. The fact that this couple used the scientific advancement of in vitro fertilization to ensure their child a life free of the isolation and pain that comes with SCID, while giving hope to their oldest son shows the love involved in the decision.

This is no case of genetically engineering your child to look or act a certain way, it’s saving a life, maybe even two.

Yes, science is saving lives, and i’m happy to say so.

]]> By: Shinzen http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17082 Shinzen Mon, 20 Oct 2008 17:19:33 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17082 This was a Law and Order episode. The second child in that case was a girl, and was born to save the first child who had some disease of the bone marrow Eeriely similar. In that case, the older child POISONED the younger one, killing her, because she was suffering so much from giving bone marrow (they literally drilled holes in her bones.) thus signing his own death warrant as well. Heres hoping this one turns out better. This was a Law and Order episode. The second child in that case was a girl, and was born to save the first child who had some disease of the bone marrow

Eeriely similar. In that case, the older child POISONED the younger one, killing her, because she was suffering so much from giving bone marrow (they literally drilled holes in her bones.) thus signing his own death warrant as well.

Heres hoping this one turns out better.

]]> By: chis http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17081 chis Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:41:06 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17081 beta Thalassaemia major is NOT a rare genetic disease. you should take a look at how many people have it in the Mediterranean countries, who also happen to live for many years. yeah, there is no cure but treatment includes blood transfusion twice a month with a blood compatible down to their genotype. treatment can be commenced from early age, and continue throughout their lives. they can also have children of their own, not carrying the disease (always according to Mendel laws). and heck, why not engineer? thats what science is all about!!! saving a life, at no cost. let the critics not do this for their struggling child. beta Thalassaemia major is NOT a rare genetic disease. you should take a look at how many people have it in the Mediterranean countries, who also happen to live for many years. yeah, there is no cure but treatment includes blood transfusion twice a month with a blood compatible down to their genotype. treatment can be commenced from early age, and continue throughout their lives. they can also have children of their own, not carrying the disease (always according to Mendel laws).
and heck, why not engineer? thats what science is all about!!! saving a life, at no cost. let the critics not do this for their struggling child.

]]> By: JC http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17080 JC Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:42:58 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17080 How anyone could be angry that this family used screening technology to make sure that their son is healthy is beyond me. This bodes well for our future. How anyone could be angry that this family used screening technology to make sure that their son is healthy is beyond me. This bodes well for our future.

]]> By: b http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17079 b Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:12:33 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17079 As far as I can tell from this story, the child was not actually "engineered". That would involve manipulation of his genetic material. Instead the child was tested before implantation and presumably this embryo was chosen because it was free of the hereditary disease. There are two completely different ethical questions here. The first is whether you should test your embryos and destroy unwanted embryos because of disease or other genetic traits. The second is whether we should actually manipulate DNA in humans, which I think is a pretty clear NO (though I know others disagree). The first question is much more murky. I think it is not necessarily wrong, depending on your views about the rights of embryos, but we have to be careful about the possibility of genetic discrimination in the future (like in GATTACA) which I think is a very real possibility if we, as societies, do not begin to address the problem now. As far as I can tell from this story, the child was not actually “engineered”. That would involve manipulation of his genetic material. Instead the child was tested before implantation and presumably this embryo was chosen because it was free of the hereditary disease. There are two completely different ethical questions here. The first is whether you should test your embryos and destroy unwanted embryos because of disease or other genetic traits. The second is whether we should actually manipulate DNA in humans, which I think is a pretty clear NO (though I know others disagree). The first question is much more murky. I think it is not necessarily wrong, depending on your views about the rights of embryos, but we have to be careful about the possibility of genetic discrimination in the future (like in GATTACA) which I think is a very real possibility if we, as societies, do not begin to address the problem now.

]]> By: shmiggltyshmoo http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17078 shmiggltyshmoo Mon, 20 Oct 2008 06:54:42 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17078 You know what this means!!!! WE WILL HAVE SUPERPOWERED BABIES!@#!@#!@!@!@#%!#$$%@@$%!@$#%^#&$%*&#^@QGBNFGHTUIU^WERGHEV%^Y @Q#$%1!!1123!@#$@#4 You know what this means!!!! WE WILL HAVE SUPERPOWERED BABIES!@#!@#!@!@!@#%!#$$%@@$%!@$#%^#&$%*&#^@QGBNFGHTUIU^WERGHEV%^Y @Q#$%1!!1123!@#$@#4

]]> By: Zackk http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17077 Zackk Mon, 20 Oct 2008 06:04:49 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17077 "designing your own kid just because you can is wrong"... WHY ? " everyone should be happy with whatever they have."... and again, WHY ? Hate this kind of BS, people claiming that something is right or wrong and you should this and shouldn't that.. without ANYTHING to back it up. " everyone should be happy with whatever they have."... WHY WHY WHY ??? Because your mommy told you so ? IF 100 000 years ago people had been "happy with what they had", you would still be gathering rotten fruits and sleeping in a f...ckin cave. “designing your own kid just because you can is wrong”… WHY ?

” everyone should be happy with whatever they have.”… and again, WHY ?

Hate this kind of BS, people claiming that something is right or wrong and you should this and shouldn’t that.. without ANYTHING to back it up.

” everyone should be happy with whatever they have.”… WHY WHY WHY ??? Because your mommy told you so ?
IF 100 000 years ago people had been “happy with what they had”, you would still be gathering rotten fruits and sleeping in a f…ckin cave.

]]> By: siftee http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17076 siftee Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:36:41 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17076 sorry, i said last, but there's one thing more, caped... u should ask yr parents for a brother, so he can give u some brains sorry, i said last, but there’s one thing more, caped… u should ask yr parents for a brother, so he can give u some brains

]]> By: siftee http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17075 siftee Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:33:32 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17075 and lastly caped assbandit, do you really think that his "self-esteem" troubles will be worse than one dead baby (himself) and one dead brother??? oh, u probably do, thats why you're fighting in irak (show me the nucs homo) and lastly caped assbandit, do you really think that his “self-esteem” troubles will be worse than one dead baby (himself) and one dead brother??? oh, u probably do, thats why you’re fighting in irak (show me the nucs homo)

]]> By: siftee http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17074 siftee Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:30:54 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17074 also, homo, in spain, universal means universal and includes illegal immigrants. next time you try to think, think about humanity, u dumb fuck also, homo, in spain, universal means universal and includes illegal immigrants. next time you try to think, think about humanity, u dumb fuck

]]> By: siftee http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17073 siftee Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:24:05 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17073 god, u ficked me off big time craped homo... look at an atlas... the usa is one of the only dark aged pay for health serfdom in the world... this treatment is available for everyone in spain because we have global health care you dumb fuck god, u ficked me off big time craped homo… look at an atlas… the usa is one of the only dark aged pay for health serfdom in the world… this treatment is available for everyone in spain because we have global health care you dumb fuck

]]> By: ronathan richardson http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17072 ronathan richardson Mon, 20 Oct 2008 02:00:40 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17072 Two points: First, this is probably not particularly expensive--or, at least, only trivially more expensive than in vitro fertilization is to start with. The genetic testing probably only adds a few hundred bucks to the whole cost of IVF--it's an incredibly simple test. Second, please realize that there isn't any genetic engineering going on here. Genetic engineering would involve putting genes into embryos to express certain traits, and it is not currently done. This procedure is just a test. There's no ethical difference between this and basic IVF practices. And I guarantee no one here who has a genetic disorder or a close family member with one would want to hear your cries of "GATTACA" while struggling through a preventable disease. We can all agree that putting new genes into an embryo to design your baby is clearly unethical, but ending your families history of genetic disease by simply choosing an embryo that is not diseased out of a group of 100 where 50 are diseased and 50 aren't? You have to oppose all IVF to think that is wrong. Two points:
First, this is probably not particularly expensive–or, at least, only trivially more expensive than in vitro fertilization is to start with. The genetic testing probably only adds a few hundred bucks to the whole cost of IVF–it’s an incredibly simple test.

Second, please realize that there isn’t any genetic engineering going on here. Genetic engineering would involve putting genes into embryos to express certain traits, and it is not currently done. This procedure is just a test. There’s no ethical difference between this and basic IVF practices. And I guarantee no one here who has a genetic disorder or a close family member with one would want to hear your cries of “GATTACA” while struggling through a preventable disease. We can all agree that putting new genes into an embryo to design your baby is clearly unethical, but ending your families history of genetic disease by simply choosing an embryo that is not diseased out of a group of 100 where 50 are diseased and 50 aren’t? You have to oppose all IVF to think that is wrong.

]]> By: Jeff http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17071 Jeff Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:26:00 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17071 The title of this article is totally misleading. They didn't "engineer" Javier's genotype. From how I understand the article, the only human intervention was the in-vitro fertilization, which, again from my interpretation, used the father's natural sperm and the mother's natural eggs, and genetic screening of the embryos. (Embryos- like in most in-vitro procedures, I'm assuming the doctors implanted multiple fertilized eggs to increase the mother's chances of carrying a baby to term.) There's a quite distinct line between using this technique to screen for deadly disorders, and to screen for hair and eye color. The title of this article is totally misleading. They didn’t “engineer” Javier’s genotype. From how I understand the article, the only human intervention was the in-vitro fertilization, which, again from my interpretation, used the father’s natural sperm and the mother’s natural eggs, and genetic screening of the embryos. (Embryos- like in most in-vitro procedures, I’m assuming the doctors implanted multiple fertilized eggs to increase the mother’s chances of carrying a baby to term.) There’s a quite distinct line between using this technique to screen for deadly disorders, and to screen for hair and eye color.

]]> By: weemaryanne http://guanabee.com/2008/10/spanish-baby-engineered-to-cure-brother/#comment-17070 weemaryanne Sun, 19 Oct 2008 19:15:07 +0000 http://guanabee.com/wordpress/?p=4970#comment-17070 Parents have always designed their offspring to some extent. Healthier and more attractive people are generally preferred as mates, so they produce more offspring. Any young person in love who has never considered the question "Is this the person I want to help raise my kids?" isn't being entirely honest, IMHO. I was a teenager when the first test-tube baby, Louise Brown, was born in the mid-1970s. Her parents weren't "playing god", they were just doing whatever it took to have a baby. Javier's and Andres' parents are doing whatever it takes to preserve their family, so they're no different. Parents have always designed their offspring to some extent. Healthier and more attractive people are generally preferred as mates, so they produce more offspring. Any young person in love who has never considered the question “Is this the person I want to help raise my kids?” isn’t being entirely honest, IMHO.

I was a teenager when the first test-tube baby, Louise Brown, was born in the mid-1970s. Her parents weren’t “playing god”, they were just doing whatever it took to have a baby. Javier’s and Andres’ parents are doing whatever it takes to preserve their family, so they’re no different.

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