Breast cancer is the latest disease being bred out of families through preimplantation genetic diagnosis – an embryo screening test once reserved for fatal genetic disorders.
The test, dubbed PGD, uses a single cell to scour the DNA for genetic typos during the in vitro fertilization process. Embryos with disease-causing mutations are then discarded in favor of their genetically superior siblings.
PGD has long been used to prevent hereditary disorders like Huntington’s disease and cystic fibrosis. And while certain gene mutations raise the risk of breast cancer, some experts say screening embryos pushes ethical boundaries.
Read the full, original story: Breeding Out Breast Cancer Risk: A Step Too Far?
