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A leading evolutionary biologist has labelled IVF an “evolutionary experiment” that may have serious effects on children in later life.
Speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in Washington DC, Dr Pascal Gagneux of University of California, San Diego said that the long-term effects of IVF are still unclear.
“…We’re engaging in an evolutionary experiment … I would compare it to high fructose corn syrup and fast food in the US. It took 50 years; it was fantastic, you got bigger and healthier, and now the US are the first generation that are shorter and heavier and die younger. But it took 50 years…”
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He noted that the oldest IVF child in the world is only 39.
A number of IVF specialists have responded to Dr. Gagneux’s remarks, saying he lacked evidence for his bold claims. Allan Pacey, Professor of Andrology at the University of Sheffield, said: “There is a wealth of epidemiological evidence to suggest that the babies born through IVF technologies are on the whole as healthy as their naturally conceived counterparts.
Read full, original post: IVF an “evolutionary experiment” – genetics expert
