Use of preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic defects (PGT-M) for adult-onset conditions: an Ethics Committee opinion
Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Committee members:Judith Daar, Jean Benward, Lee Collins, Joseph Davis, Owen Davis, Leslie Francis, Elena Gates, Elizabeth Ginsburg, Susan Gitlin, Sigal Klipstein, Laurence McCullough, Richard Paulson, Richard Reindollar, Ginny Ryan, Mark Sauer, Sean Tipton, Lynn Westphal, Julianne Zweifel, …
“Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic diseases for adult-onset conditions is ethically permissible for a range of conditions including when the condition is serious and no safe, effective interventions are available.”
Quoted verbatim from this paper.
Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.
Abstract
Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic diseases for adult-onset conditions is ethically permissible for a range of conditions including when the condition is serious and no safe, effective interventions are available. The Committee strongly recommends that a genetic counselor experienced with PGT-M counsel patients considering such procedures. This document replaces the document titled "Use of preimplantation genetic diagnosis for serious adult-onset conditions: a committee opinion," last published in Fertil Steril 2013;100;54-7.
Judith Daar, Jean Benward, Lee Collins, Joseph Davis, Owen Davis, Leslie Francis, Elena Gates, Elizabeth Ginsburg, Susan Gitlin, Sigal Klipstein, Laurence McCullough, Richard Paulson, Richard Reindollar, Ginny Ryan, Mark Sauer, Sean Tipton, Lynn Westphal, Julianne Zweifel, 0000-0003-0284-2845
J Daar, J Benward, L Collins, Joe Davis, Joey Davis, J Davis, O Davis, L Francis, E Gates, Liz Ginsburg, Beth Ginsburg, Betsy Ginsburg, E Ginsburg, Sue Gitlin, S Gitlin, S Klipstein, Larry McCullough, L McCullough, Rick Paulson, Dick Paulson, Rich Paulson, R Paulson, Rick Reindollar, Dick Reindollar, Rich Reindollar, R Reindollar, G Ryan, M Sauer, S Tipton, L Westphal, J Zweifel
PMID 29935659 29935659 DOI 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.04.003 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.04.003 Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine et al. 2018, Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine 2018
Cite this article
Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (2018). Use of preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic defects (PGT-M) for adult-onset conditions: an Ethics Committee opinion. Fertility and sterility. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.04.003
Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Use of preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic defects (PGT-M) for adult-onset conditions: an Ethics Committee opinion. Fertility and sterility. 2018. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.04.003
Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. "Use of preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic defects (PGT-M) for adult-onset conditions: an Ethics Committee opinion." Fertility and sterility, 2018.
Polygenic risk score analyses on embryos (PGT-P) are being marketed by some private testing companies to parents using in vitro fertilisation as being useful in selecting the embryos that carry the least risk of disease in later life. It appears that at least one child has been born after such a procedure. But the utility of a PRS in this respect is severely limited, and to date, no clinical research has been performed to assess its diagnostic effectiveness in embryos. Patients need to be properly informed on the limitations of this use of PRSs, and a societal debate, focused on what would be considered acceptable with regard to the selection of individual traits, should take place before any further implementation of the technique in this population.
Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2017·Fertility and sterility
Patient requests for transfer of embryos with genetic anomalies linked to serious health-affecting disorders detected in preimplantation testing are rare but do exist. This Opinion sets out the possible rationales for a provider's decision to assist or decline to assist in such transfers. The Committee concludes in most clinical cases it is ethically permissible to assist or decline to assist in transferring such embryos. In circumstances in which a child is highly likely to be born with a life-threatening condition that causes severe and early debility with no possibility of reasonable function, provider transfer of such embryos is ethically problematic and highly discouraged.
Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2018·Fertility and sterility
Clinics may develop a policy to disallow selecting which embryos to transfer based on sex and choose to use only embryo quality as selection criteria. Clinics may also develop a policy to use randomization to select those embryos for transfer if more embryos suitable for transfer are available than can be transferred.
Ethics Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2017·Fertility and sterility
The use of adult intrafamilial gamete donors and gestational surrogates is generally ethically acceptable when all participants are fully informed and counseled, but consanguineous arrangements or ones that simulate incestuous unions should be prohibited. Adult child-to-parent arrangements require caution in order to avoid coercion, and parent-to-adult child arrangements are acceptable in limited situations. Programs that choose to participate in intrafamilial arrangements should be prepared to spend additional time counseling participants and ensuring that they have made free, informed decisions. This document replaces the document of the same name, last published in 2012 (Fertil Steril 2012;98:797-803).