Genome Analysis Unreliable for Looks, Disease Risk Prediction

Tokyo, Oct. 16 (Jiji Press)--A Japanese team said Wednesday that technology to predict future physical traits, such as looks and height, and disease susceptibility based on genome analysis of in vitro fertilized eggs is unreliable.

Overseas, there are cases in which embryos that earned the highest scores based on such predictions were implanted into the uterus as medical practices.

The practices pose an ethical problem, said the team, including researchers of Osaka University, the University of Tokyo and the government-backed research institute Riken.

The Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology permits preimplantation genetic diagnosis for selecting embryos in fertility treatment, only for the purpose of reducing the risk of miscarriage or avoiding the birth of a child with a serious genetic disease.

Even if genes in a fertilized egg related to physical traits and cancer, heart and mental diseases are examined, these are not considered predictable because the environment and lifestyle in which the child grows up have a significant impact.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]