Episode 64

#64- Should we select embryos based on chance?

Episode Description

Dr. Betty Cohn discusses the complexities, ethical considerations, and current state of polygenic embryo screening and risk scores, highlighting the scientific, ethical, and societal challenges involved.

Key words: polygenic embryo screening, genetic testing, reproductive ethics, risk scores, embryo selection, genetic diversity, clinical validity, reproductive autonomy, bioethics

Key Topics:

What polygenic embryo screening is and how it differs from single-gene testing
The probabilistic nature of polygenic risk scores and their limitations
Ethical implications of embryo selection based on risk scores
Disparities and biases in polygenic risk scoring across ancestry groups
The influence of commercial companies and lack of regulation in direct-to-consumer genetic testing
The impact of societal values in embryo selection

Guest bio:

Betty Cohn is a postdoctoral fellow working with Dr. Anna Wexler at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a PhD in Public Health Genetics from the University of Washington, a Master of Bioethics from the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, and a B.A. from Binghamton University. Her research examines the ethical, legal, and social implications of emerging biotechnologies, including direct-to-consumer genetic testing, brain organoids, and polygenic risk scores. Her doctoral dissertation used qualitative methods to explore how individuals who discover a misattributed parentage experience through genetic testing navigate these findings, with a focus on online communities as sources of social support.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettycohn/

Twitter/X: @bettyccohn

Resources related to today’s topic:

“Ethical and social implications of implementing polygenic embryo screening into clinical care: A scoping review” by Betty Cohn, Dorit Barlevy, Gabriel Lazaro-Munoz
“Polygenic risk scores in the clinic: Health-system leaders and primary care providers weigh in” by Susan Brown Trinidad, Stephanie M Fullerton, Betty Cohn, David R Crosslin, Gail P Jarvik
“Human Demographic History Impacts Genetic Risk Prediction across Diverse Populations” by Martin et al.

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