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2 posts found
Feb 23, 2024
acx
9 min 1,185 words 622 comments 177 likes podcast (8 min)
Scott Alexander argues that using polygenic screening to select low-risk embryos can be considered as preventing genetic disorders, drawing parallels with other accepted preventive practices. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the ethical implications of using polygenic screening to select embryos with lower risk of genetic disorders, specifically schizophrenia. He argues that this practice can be considered as prevention of the disorder, despite objections that it's merely replacing a high-risk individual with a low-risk one. To support his argument, Scott presents three analogous situations: preventing fetal alcohol syndrome, selecting embryos in IVF, and preventing child abuse through parenting workshops. He concludes that polygenic selection is ethically comparable to these widely accepted practices and can be fairly described as preventing schizophrenia. Shorter summary
Jul 01, 2021
acx
10 min 1,305 words 286 comments 107 likes podcast (13 min)
Scott Alexander discusses the birth of the first polygenically-screened baby and explores the current and potential future applications of this technology in IVF. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the birth of the first polygenically-screened baby, explaining the process of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and how polygenic screening works. He describes how this technology can be used to reduce the risk of genetic diseases and potentially select for other traits. The post covers the current capabilities of polygenic screening, its potential future applications, and some ethical considerations. Scott also mentions the first polygenically screened baby, named Aurea, born to a family with a history of breast cancer. Shorter summary