Ethical Quandaries Surround Genetic IQ Screening Offered by US Startup

A U.S.-based startup, Heliospect Genomics, is reportedly providing affluent couples the opportunity to screen their embryos for intelligence and other desirable genetic traits. This service has sparked significant ethical debates within the scientific community.

Pricing and Technology

Heliospect Genomics charges up to $50,000 for the evaluation of 100 embryos. The company claims that its innovative technology may assist couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) in selecting children expected to have IQ scores that are six points higher than those conceived naturally, according to reports from The Guardian.

Undercover video footage obtained by the outlet reveals that the company has already engaged with over a dozen couples. In a November 2023 video call, CEO Michael Christensen expressed a utopian view of genetic selection: “Everyone can have all the children they want, and they can have children that are basically disease-free, smart, healthy; it’s going to be great.” This footage was recorded by a researcher from Hope Not Hate, an organization dedicated to combating far-right extremism.

Selection Process for Prospective Parents

During these calls, Heliospect employees outlined experimental selection techniques for prospective parents. An employee elaborated on how couples could employ polygenic scoring to rank embryos based on “IQ and other traits that everyone desires,” including characteristics like sex, height, obesity risk, and susceptibility to mental illness.

The prediction tools used by Heliospect rely on data sourced from the UK Biobank, a publicly funded genetic repository that contains information from half a million British volunteers. Researchers and scientists worldwide can access the repository, but only for public interest health-related research.

Legal and Ethical Concerns

While UK law prohibits parents from selecting embryos based on potential high IQ, such practices remain legal in the U.S., even though the technology has yet to become commercially available.

Experts in genetics and bioethics have raised ethical concerns regarding the implications of selecting embryos for favorable genetic traits. Critics argue that this practice might reinforce societal divisions based on perceived “superior” and “inferior” genetics. Hope Not Hate also highlighted that some Heliospect employees had connections to individuals and publications advocating for scientifically unfounded racism.

Widespread Implications of Embryo Selection

Katie Hasson, associate director of the Center for Genetics and Society in California, warned that utilizing embryo selection technology could normalize harmful ideologies that suggest biological factors are the root cause of social inequalities.

In response to inquiries, Heliospect Genomics stated that it operates within all applicable legal frameworks. The company mentioned it is currently in “stealth mode” as it develops its services ahead of a public launch. They indicated that couples who screened fewer embryos paid approximately $4,000 for the service.

Future Prospects and Controversies

During the recorded calls, Heliospect’s team described how their “polygenic scoring” method harnesses algorithms to analyze genetic data from parents to predict individual embryo traits. However, the company clarified that it does not provide IVF services.

Christensen also proposed ambitious advancements in technology, even suggesting that “lab-grown eggs could allow couples to produce embryos on an industrial scale – a thousand, or even a million – from which an elite selection could be made.” He further speculated that future innovations might screen for personality traits such as narcissism or psychopathy.

Call for Stronger Regulations

Heliospect emphasized that it does not condone industrial-scale embryo production or elite selection and has no plans to offer personality screening services. However, concerns grow about the role of controversial figures within the company, including Jonathan Anomaly, a philosopher who has endorsed “liberal eugenics”—the idea that genetic technology should be employed to enhance children’s prospects.

Records indicate that Heliospect accessed UK Biobank’s data in June 2023, claiming their application aimed to enhance predictions for “complex traits.” However, they did not disclose their intent to screen embryos for IQ in their application, raising additional ethical questions.

Bioethicists, including Stanford’s professor Hank Greely, have suggested that stricter regulations may be necessary for databases like UK Biobank, given the ethical implications of embryo screening.

In closing, Heliospect reaffirmed its commitment to acting within legal parameters and supporting public discussions about preimplantation embryonic screening to address ethical concerns. The company remains optimistic about the potential for its technology to positively impact future generations.