Adam Nash: legally speaking, a happy ending or slippery slope?
The birth of Adam Nash, following IVF and then preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) on the resulting 15 embryos to find which would be a potential bone marrow match for his older sibling, suffering from Fanconi's anaemia, is the first reported case of genetic selection of an embryo to save the life of an existing person. The case has stirred debates worldwide over the appropriateness and implications of using the technique for this and related purposes. Legally, it is suggested that embryos are indeed entitled to special respect because of their potential for life, but certain principles must not be overlooked, and the Nash case was wholly within acceptable legal principles. The legal perspective offered here concludes: (i) while embryos are entitled to certain protections, the mere fact that they are extracorporeal raises the danger that the rights and protections assigned to them will be wrongly elevated over the legally protected procreation rights of the adults who create them; (ii) divorce litigation involving "custody" of embryos is not a direct parallel and legal analogies must be distinguished; (iii) the status of embryos must be carefully defined; and (iv) a national or international, multi-disciplinary body should be created to grapple with the developing issues and uses that are sure to follow.
Crockin
Susan
S
Law Office of Susan L. Crockin, 29 Crafts Street, Newton, MA 2460, USA.