'Super Babies' Created by Selected Genes Becoming a Reality
Criticism Grows Over 'New Eugenics' as Services Target the Wealthy
Ethical Concerns Spread Amid 'Super Baby' Controversy
A life science startup in Silicon Valley, USA, offering embryo genome testing services is raising ethical issues beyond science. This technology, which allows parents to predict the likelihood of certain diseases and select healthier children, is being evaluated as turning the possibility of human genetic intervention into reality.
A life science startup in Silicon Valley, USA, offering embryo genome testing services is raising ethical issues beyond science. Pixabay
According to a report by the Washington Post on July 17 (local time), the startup in question is Orchid Health, headquartered in San Francisco. The company has launched a service that collects embryos during the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process, analyzes their entire genome, and provides risk scores for thousands of diseases. This allows prospective parents to identify genetic predispositions for various conditions such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and obesity in advance.
Orchid Health performs DNA sequencing using a small number of cells collected from embryos and emphasizes that it is leading the way in an era where children can be selected based on genetic information. The founder, Noor Siddiqui, stated, "Our goal is to create a generation free from disease," and predicted that a day will come when natural conception and genetic selection will be separate processes.
However, as this technology becomes commercialized, controversy over "new eugenics" is also emerging. While it differs from past state-led genetic improvement efforts, there are concerns that it could ultimately deepen genetic inequality, as only those with sufficient financial resources can access these services.
Orchid Health officially states that it does not offer intelligence prediction services, but internal testimonies suggest that similar analyses have been provided to some high-income clients. Public interest has grown even further after it was revealed that Shivon Zilis, a former Neuralink executive who had four children with Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, also used Orchid Health's testing services.
Ethicists are concerned about the rapid pace of technological advancement. Allison Brooks, a bioethics expert at MIT, warned, "This technology could go beyond choices for health and entrench social discrimination," adding, "We may enter a society where children understand the reasons they were selected."
Questions are also being raised about scientific reliability. Svetlana Yatsenko, professor of life sciences at Stanford University, pointed out, "Conducting a complete genome analysis with only a few cells carries a high risk of error," and said, "Making choices based on incorrect genetic information could be dangerous for both parents and children."
The high cost of IVF and genetic testing services is further highlighting socioeconomic disparities. The average cost of IVF in the United States is about $20,000, with an additional fee for Orchid Health's testing. Among U.S. households with an annual income of $75,000 or more, the infertility treatment utilization rate is 48%, but for those earning less than $30,000, the rate is only 19%, indicating a significant gap in medical access based on income.
Despite these circumstances, investment enthusiasm for genetic technology startups remains strong. At the end of last year, Orchid Health raised $12 million in funding, and similar companies are also successfully attracting multi-million dollar investments.
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