There is a difference between selecting a deaf embryo and deafening a hearing child.
If genetic diagnosis and preimplantation selection could be employed to produce deaf children, would it be acceptable for deaf parents to do so? Some say no, because there is no moral difference between selecting a deaf embryo and deafening a hearing child, and because it would be wrong to deafen infants. It is argued in this paper, however, that this view is untenable. There are differences between the two activities, and it is perfectly possible to condone genetic selection for deafness while condemning attempts to deafen infants at birth.
Centre for Professional Ethics, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK. mhayry@uclan.ac.uk.
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D003638:Deafness / Q000235:genetics*; D003657:Decision Making; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000941:ethics*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009014:Morals