frankie's Journal: Hooray, Gattaca is here

The good side of Gattaca, known as preimplantation genetic diagnosis, has risen from futurism, through niche specialty, and up into the mainstream. Parents-to-be screen their IVF embryos for dangerous genes, then pick ones without. As genomic discoveries continue, PGD may eventually test for everything from cancer to crooked teeth.

The bad side of Gattaca -- behaving as if nurture no longer matters -- so far has not arrived with it. As someone with several (relatively minor) inherited disorders, some or all of which I have passed on to my children, I for one welcome my future eugenic (in the literal Greek sense) grandchildren.