The fertility watchdog has decided to relax the rules over the creation of so-called ‘designer babies’. The decision by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) will mean that embryos can be screened and selected to help sick siblings. The authority already allows embryos to be tested so families can weed out genetic disorders. However any change in screening rules is likely to prove controversial and be opposed by anti-abortion groups who question the ethics of embryo selection.
