We are pleased to have elicited your interest1 in our editorial published in the March 2012 issue of Haematologica.2 We thank you for having expressed your position on the alternative of natural to assisted fecundation (IVF) with Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) as the event leading to a pregnancy that could possibly herald the birth of a desired savior baby.
It is almost like comparing Nature with a technique of biomedical progress, not without unnatural artifices and negative aspects. However, it is also true that with the first option the desired result is obtained in only 25% of cases. In drafting our editorial, we have wanted to present a dispassionate informative realism. We maintain that the ultimate decision regarding either choice should lie with the parents and the pediatrician in charge, provided that he or she has sufficient insight into the circumstances, that may vary from case to case.
We believe that a lot of credit has been given to PGD over the last few years and that it should, therefore, be highlighted among the various opinions expressed by scholars across different branches of medical and non-medical culture.
References
- Pisu S, Demuru F, Caocci G, La Nasa G. Ethical concerns surrounding the conception of an HLA compatible child for medical purposes. Haematologica. 2012; 97(8):e33. PubMedhttps://doi.org/10.3324/haematol.2012.068015Google Scholar
- Burgio GR, Nespoli L, Maccario R, Verri A, Comoli P, Zecca M. Conceiving a hematopoietic stem cell donor: twenty-five years after our decision to save a child. Haematologica. 2012; 97(4):479-81. PubMedhttps://doi.org/10.3324/haematol.2011.060004Google Scholar