Cloning embryos containing the
DNA of a person in order to create
stem cells, that can be used to help grow replacement body parts, is a brilliant idea. Using cloning techniques to help, say, a man who can't produce
sperm or a
lesbian couple to conceive a child which is genetically their own is also a brilliant idea. But as for
designer babies, that's where this whole issue really does start to scare me.
Why? Because these technologies are not going to be universally available to anyone who wants them. They're going to come at a cost, and be available only to those who can pay for them, which in my view can only serve to further the inequalities and disadvantages in the world. As for the idea that a couple would 'create a child like no other', I think that's perhaps a little naive. Just look at cosmetic surgery: the majority of people having it all seem to want to look exactly the same.