Really...a few people are getting a bit ahead of themselves on this issue. I see no reason that exploring this techonology should lead to a Hitleresque world of on demand genetic modification. Slippery slope is not a good tool of argumentation.

Zach, Vicksburg, USA

Designing genes for any other reason than to avoid fatal diseases is unethical. I am happy to hear that scientists are politically allowed to progress GM embryo experiments for disease prevention. When someone tries to design embryos for reasons beyond disease prevention, the bill wont pass.

Will, Miami, USA

There is no God, so all arguments based on that are void. When those citing imaginary beings as a reason for not doing things are removed from the argument, the consensus on here seems to be "Go ahead, with due caution". I look forward to a world where changes are thought out, not by chance.

Me, Yes, UK

There are so many things I want to say here, I have so many different views on this, as a mother, as the cousin of a child with spinabifida and as a biology student. What it all comes down to is this - it's wrong, I would much rather my child with all her little quirks and 'imperfections'!

Kate, Montrose, Australia

This is the ultimate child abuse.

Jane, Portland, USA

We are NOT "GOD". We might start out just getting rid of diseases, but once we start tinkering, where will it end? It won't! Humans are NEVER satisfied.
We may accidentally remove tenacity, will 2 survive, ability to love & care, the ability to have leaps of intuition????

Shanleigh, Cape Town, South Africa

Human beings UNITE! Oppose the degradation of our species! Why call those experimenters "scientists"? We did not elevate the Nazi experiments on prisoners of war to the level of science, much less medicine. Human embryos created and destroyed in the name of "science" are a global class of POW's.

Maureen, New Cumberland, USA

Not having the question put to public debate is the real downfall of passing any such legislation. Modifying an embryo has ethical repercussions that once legalized, will reverberate for decades to come. The idea should be well publicized and critiqued before any movement forward takes place.

Alyson, Toronto,

The ones who are against these experiments shouldn't be given the advantage of treatment in the future from diseases such as cancer or haemophilia if they continue their ethical quest, I for one is waiting for a cure to get rid of my cancer.

Mona Sulaiman, Phoenix,

All this talk of eugenics reminds me of Margaret Sanger and the history of Planned Parenthood. Don't know what I'm talking about? Read Killer Angel by George Grant.

Lisa, Indiana, USA

We've already got GM humans - the patients of gene therapy. And, we already give medicine and even perform surgery on infants. So, I don't see any problem with gene therapy on children before they are born. Sure, we don't understand everything, but we should still help our children as much as we can

Josh, Brisbane, Australia

A brave new world...It's amazing :D
Consider the possibility of removing genetic diseases; we could have a future where nobody needs suffer from alzheimers, cancer, diebetes and so on. Parents with genetic diseases could finally have babies without worrying if the child will suffer their affliction

Karl-Erlend Mikalsen, Trondheim, Norway

I am disgusted with the whole issue. When is man going to come to their senses. We have no right to create or to take life, that's God's job,We are messing about with his creation and if we keep on this path then He will act, some of which is taking place right now. Please Pray all you who beleive.

Pat Brooks, Spalding, U K

As we learned in WWII, man can become very evil once he starts to pick who will live and who will die. Will Britian become the new Germany and unleash untold suffering on mankind? Beware of those who commit evil to do good.

taad, louisville, usa

Is there not a scientists' world ethics group where they can discuss this and present their recommendations, most especially the fact that they are becoming "creators" and the "embryos", who may later become (God forbid!) a person out of experiment for the sole purpose of "science", and selfishness!

Aurelia Bertocchi, Toronto, Canada

To start with I am NOT A REIGLIOUS NUT, But give me a break!!!!!!!!!!! Read your bible people. We are living and acting out every word of revelation's. , Next thing you know like one comment was made the rich would have perfect babies and the poor , would get thrown to the side like trash .

Lola B Harvey, Lucedale, Ms, USA

Go for it. It'll add an interesting wrinkle to the collapse of civilization, climate, and life as we know it.

Paul Lacques, los angeles, leading the charg, usa, leading the collapse

Great what happens when one of these genetically modified embryos gets out, is born, and passes on his genes to his descendants.

Guy, New York,

Humans will take the control that God had out of his hands weather we want to or not, this is just proof that we are smart enough to control our own destiny.

Carter Foulger, Salt Lake City, United States

I would imagine anything of this sort would incur rigorous testing and rightfully so. Once it's found to be rather safe, I say go for it. The fallacy I see among arguments against this, aside from the usual religious uproar, is the false assumption that it will automatically lead to social darwinism

Lily, Washington, USA

I'm thoroughly disgusted. When will enough voices shout loudly enough for the world to heed that NO ONE has the right to interfere with a HUMAN EMBRYO. The scientists think of themselves above accountability; want to play god, make judgments about life;at the same time they mock GOD! Beware.

Antoinette, Queens, N.Y.

Scientists are fooling around with the basic stuff of life. There are some scientists who will try to create a being of their own design.

They are experimenting with living beings. Embryos are alive, much as some people would prefer not to believe, because it would interfere with their promiscuity

Jean, New York, USA

A typical example of Tax Dollars used to fund a project of which the public has absolutely no democratic say.

Nothing is stopped in advance, then, experiments and projects become defacto-legal simply by the fact that they have already occurred.

Jeff Johns, Palmyra, USA

Having the nerve to advocate torturing some poor defensless animal in order to play God makes my heart break.
It is way past time to stop harming animals and each other. Thou shalt not kill...
Wakien, America

Winyan Staz Wakien, Washington, U.S.A.

These mad scientists are totally out of control, They will completely destroy life on this Planet but before they do this, monsters will be created as in days of old. Which is why that old technology advanced civilisation were destroyed, you cannot mess with nature without being punished.

Arthur Guy, Gloucester, England

Ed Pell, I totally agree with you. The only one I can really think of would be widening the gap between rich and poor. Only the rich would be able to get designer babies ie rich would have tall, blonde, intellegent babies while poor have genetically inferior babies.

Andrew Z, Hicksville,, USA

While human genome modification has some huge ups and downs, why don't we start with something a little easier? Use pet animals to test appearance changes and burden animals that aren't normally eaten to test biological improvements. Leave the human genome until we know what we're doing.

James, Boca Raton, USA

It's Gattaca, baby!

Nick, Boston, USA

The potential benefits of such technology are truly staggering. Though fears of the misapplication of such knowledge are certainly well-founded, they must be couched in the understanding that we have made similarly radical advances in the past and have not yet destroyed ourselves.

Bryan, Katonah, USA

I'm glad to see the US at the forefront in yet another world changing technology. Religious and moralistic fears aside, this is realistically the next logical progression of human technology. It will be explored. I'd prefer we do it.

Mike, notre dame,

I hope that the previous post was only joking. At this stage of the game, we have not a clue as to what the potential future consequences may be. We're still living with the consequences of scientists who played with nuclear weapons tests, and we have yet to determine the consequences of GM food.

Fred, Reading, USA

A brave new world.....truly frightening.

Joe, Eureka, USA

Being able to design good features into the genome of ones child seems like a great good to me. One feature I would like to see added is internal vitamin C production. I would load in as many positives features as are available.

Ed Pell, Rhinebeck, USA