Genome Screening
Biology: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 6.1.24
Embryonic Screening
Embryonic screening is a form of genome screening. We can screen a person's genome to look for genes that may make that person susceptible (vulnerable) to genetic disorders. The advantages of embryonic screening are:
Prevent suffering
- It could prevent people from suffering from genetic disorders.
IVF embryos
- During IVF, most embryos are surplus to requirements anyway.
- In this case, screening would merely ensure that the implanted embryos are healthy.
Financial saving
- A reduction in disorders that need to be treated would save a significant amount of money in the long-term.
Test yourself on Genome Screening
What is not a genuine advantage of embryonic screening?
Why would embryonic screening save money in the long-term?
Why does only implanting embryos without disorder-causing genes help prevent suffering?
Why does screening surplus IVF embryos not reduce the number of embryos available for implantation?