NHS to fund 'designer baby' bid

Zain Hashmi's family went private

The NHS is to fund an attempt to create a "designer baby" to save a child with a rare blood disorder.

An unnamed British couple hope the new baby will be able to provide their child with a transplant of cells to cure the condition.

The child has the beta thalasseamia major, a life-threatening gene-related form of anaemia.

The couple's local primary care trust has agreed to fund one attempt at treatment, costing £5,000.

Far better that they should be able to avail themselves of technology which enables them to achieve their goal, without having lots of unwanted pregnancies along the way. Dr Simon Fishel

It involves screening embryos to find a genetic match for the sibling and then using the baby's umbilical cord blood cells to transplant.

The case is believed to be the first of its type to be funded by the NHS. Previous attempts to create a "designer baby" have been paid for privately.

The latest attempt will take place at the Care At The Park Hospital in Nottingham, after cells from the embryos have been sent to the US to decide which is a genetic match.

The IVF treatment will be carried out by fertility expert Dr Simon Fishel, who was also involved in the case of Zain Hashmi, who has the same condition.

His parents Shahana and Raj underwent four cycles of IVF treatment but suffered a miscarriage last December.

Long term economy

Dr Fishel said the treatment was expensive - but it could cost a lot more to provide lifetime care for a child with the disorder.

He said that on average three out of every 16 embryos created would be a genetic match and free of the disease.

"The problem for these couples is they go to their specialist who says there is no donor match for the child.

"The couple then goes away and has another child, who also has the disorder and they may have to terminate the pregnancy.

"All this is going on while having to care for a sick child.

"Rather than go through that rather appalling scenario wouldn't it be better to go through IVF and a screening procedure?

"Far better that they should be able to avail themselves of technology which enables them to achieve their goal, without having lots of unwanted pregnancies along the way."

Critics of pre-implantation genetic screening fear it could be mis-used to choose embryos on the basis of factors such as sex, or even hair colour.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority ruled last year against the use of sex selection in the UK other than to avoid genetic disorders linked to gender.

It stipulated that each case must be considered on its individual merits.

Dr Fishel said: "There is almost no potential for abuse of the system in the UK because it is regulated so tightly."