In these busy times we often act not just in prudence but in desperation. In a mad rush to get things done we cut corners and take shortcuts. Shortcuts can be dangerous.
I am a big fan of research that cures disease and restores abilities to the disabled. What I am observing, however, are desperate actions no longer fixed on curing disease but eliminating the disease carriers. This is a shortcut that is just plain wrong.
In vitro fertilization opened up opportunities for the childless to possibly have children. In the pursuit of good, bad things start to happen. As researchers play with embryos in Petri dishes they begin to pick which one can live and which ones die. For human life in this smallest form, existence as embryos is precarious.
In this installment of my blog I report on Chinese fertility clinics that engage in a search-and-destroy effort. Using a technique called preimplantation genetic diagnosis, they set out to eradicate disease by terminating human life in embryonic form.
This is a shortcut of the eugenics kind that redefines life for utilitarian purposes and opens a new level of subjectivity about lives worth living and lives which should be eliminated. Sadly this demonstrates again that we have failed to learn from the mistakes of the 20th century eugenics movement. You can read my comments here.
