Extending preimplantation genetic diagnosis: Medical and nonmedical uses

New uses of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to screen embryos prior to transfer raise ethical, legal, and policy issues that deserve close attention. Extensions for medical purposes, such as to identify susceptibility genes, late onset disease, and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching, are usually ethically acceptable. Whether embryo screening for gender, perfect pitch, or other non-medical characteristics are also acceptable depends upon the parental needs served and the harm posed to embryos, children, and society. Speculations about potential future uses of PGD should not prevent otherwise acceptable current uses of PGD. Debate about new reproductive technologiesoften cites preimplantation genetic diagno-sis (PGD)—the technique by which early human embryos are genetically screened for selection for transfer to the uterus—as a practic