Future Squinter? No Right to be Born

"Embryos are to be screened for a cosmetic defect for the first time in a British clinic. Doctors have been given permission to create a baby free from a genetic disorder which would have caused the child to have a severe squint.

The Bridge Centre family clinic, in London, has been licensed to treat a businessman and his wife to create the baby. Both the businessman and his father suffer from the condition, which causes the eyes only to look downwards or sideways.

Critics have said that the permission is another step on the road to creating only perfect-looking babies in the laboratory. The licence was granted by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to Prof Gedis Grudzinskas, who believes the landmark ruling marks a shift away from granting licences only for life-threatening conditions.

He said: "We will increasingly see the use of embryo screening for severe cosmetic conditions." He added that he would seek to screen for any genetic factor at all that would cause a family severe distress."

"[Hair colour] can be a cause of bullying which can lead to suicide. With the agreement of the HFEA, I would do it."