Genewatch UK - Public will reject designer babies

Dr Sue Mayer, director of Genewatch UK, today accused the Science and Technology Select Committee of wanting to "treat babies as another variety of baked beans or washing powder".

Responding to the committee's report on human reproductive technologies, in which it advocated allowing embryos to be selected on the basis of sex, Dr Mayer said that the decisions should only be taken on the basis of the future health of the baby. Anything else left the door open for "designer babies" an unrestrained consumerism.

She said: "The public have already expressed their horror over sex selection and are unlikely to support MPs having more influence over such decisions if 'babies as fashion accessories' is their starting point."