Abstract

During 2002, the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority in the United Kingdom which regulates in vitro fertilization clinics, agreed to allow a family to attempt to create a baby genetically selected for human leukocyte antigen to help treat a desperately ill child. In a second case, however, the HFEA did not allow parents to screen IVF embryos for a genetic match because the embryos were at very low risk to have the same genetic disease. Reactions against the first HFEA decision have shown profound outrage, expressing that having a child for the sake of the other is improper, immoral and 'against human dignity'. Other claims were, "we should protect vulnerable human life", and "human beings should not be treated 'as a means to an end'". None of these moral claims stand rational and coherent scrutiny, however. This paper maintains that making a child to save the life of a sibling is not only ethically permissible but it would rather be unethical NOT to do so