Parents win right to scan embryos for cancer gene

Parents suffering from a genetic form of cancer have won the right to select embryos free from the gene that causes the condition.

Four couples have gained permission to screen their embryos for a gene which causes bowel cancer after a decision by government fertility watchdogs.

Children born with the rogue gene normally stand a 50 per cent chance of developing bowel cancer.

One aspiring parent due to receive the embryo screening spoke of delight at the decision.

The 35-year-old accountant from Bristol said: "We are overjoyed to have been given this chance, not only to do as much as possible to make sure our children don't have this gene, but also to stop them from passing it on."

But critics of "designer babies" fear that screening for medical reasons could eventually lead to parents winning the right to control their children's genes for a range of social reasons, even eventually being able to decide on their eye colour.

The screening is due to be carried out at University College Hospital. It is thought that more parents will now apply to the government regulator to have embryos screened for other diseases.