GENES, EMBRYOS, AND FUTURE-PEOPLE

Testing embryonic cells for genetic abnormalities gives us the capacit y to predict whether and to what extent people will exist with disease and disability. Moreover, the freezing of embryos for long periods of time enables us to alter the length of a normal human lifespan. After highlighting the shortcomings of somatic-cell gene therapy and perm-l ine genetic alteration, I argue that the testing and selective termina tion of genetically defective embryos is the only medically and morall y defensible may to prevent the existence of people with severe disabi lity, pain and suffering that make their lives not worth living for th em on the whole. In addition, I consider the possible harmful effects on children born from frozen embryos after the deaths of their biologi cal parents, or when their parents are at an advanced age. I also expl ore whether embryos have moral status and whether the prospects for di sease-preventing genetic alteration can justify long-term cryopreserva tion of embryos.