Designer Babies Made From Skin Cells and Sperm, May Eliminate Sex and Disabled Persons

[From article]
It has played a key role in the evolution of life on Earth, allowing a mixture of genetic material to be passed on from generation to generation.
But sex, which almost every animal and plant on the planet uses to reproduce, could be about to come to an end for one species – our own.
An expert on the ethics of genetics at Stanford University has claimed humans may be on the cusp of a monumental change in the way we breed, using laboratories rather than the bedroom to create children.[. . .]
Professor Hank Greely argues that couples will use genetic material from a few skin cells to create eggs which will then be fertilised using sperm samples taken from the prospective father.
[. . .]
According to The Times, Professor Greely said: 'In 20 to 40 years, when a couple wants a baby, he'll provide sperm and she'll provide a punch of skin.
'Parents will get the embryos grouped by categories. One category will very severe, untreatable, nasty diseases.
'This will affect one to two per cent of embryos. Another category will be other diseases. The theird is cosmetic – hair, eyes, shape, whether the hair goes white early.
'We don't know much about this yet, but we will. A fourth category is behavioural – I think here information will be limited.'
Professor Greely outlines his vision of the future in his book The End of Sex and the Future of Human Reproduction.



He argues that stem cell technology already makes it possible to do much of what he has outlined.
Genetic tests are already used to pinpoint certain conditions in embryos used in IVF procedures and the growing understanding of the genome is extending this all the time.
Scientists have also shown it is possible to grow reproductive cells like eggs and sperm in the laboratory using stem cells.
Professor Greely says using a combination of cloning and stem cell technologies it may be possible to save women from the invasive procedures needed to harvest eggs for IVF.
Instead genetic material could be removed from a skin cell – taken from the woman's body – and then used to create stem cells.
These can then be encouraged to grow into eggs that can then be fertilised using conventional IVF techniques.
[. . .]
Professor Greely says parents advances in this technology is leading to what he calls 'easy preimplantation genetic diagnosis'. This will make sexless reproduction cheaper and easier than more traditional methods.
He says that while such procedures could be expensive, it could ultimately save society huge sums by effectively eliminating serious genetic diseases.
This could lead many to consider babies creating using old-fashioned sex as irresponsible.
But the technology could also bring serious ethical problems.
Many people are opposed to using genetic techniques to select 'designer babies' and compare it to playing God.



Professor Greely added: 'What if a woman decided to make eggs from herself and sperm from herself, and then transfer them to her own uterus?
'I don't think many people would do that, but it's a big world.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3512373/Will-designer-babies-end-need-sex-Humans-reproduce-using-skin-samples-20-years-claims-geneticist.html

Will designer babies end the need for sex? Humans could reproduce using skin samples within 20 years, claims geneticist
Eggs will be grown from skin cells instead of needing invasive procedures
Parents will be able to select disease free embryos with traits they want
It could lead to the eradication of genetic diseases, says Stanford expert
By RICHARD GRAY FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 07:09 EST, 28 March 2016 | UPDATED: 07:11 EST, 28 March 2016

Auburn University Lab Tech Charged With Selling Date Rape Drug

[From article]
A chemistry lab technician at Auburn University was arrested Friday after allegedly selling a large amount of date rape drug, police say.
[. . .]
Al.com, citing court documents, reports that Howard sold an undercover agent more than 20 ounces of a liquid substance known to incapacitate women. Another undercover agent was able to buy nearly a gallon of the same substance. Howard also showed the agent that he had a weapon, authorities say.
Lab tests would confirm that the liquid was a controlled substance called 1,4-butanediol.
When the substance is ingested, it is converted into Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB), which is commonly known to be a date-rape drug, the US Attorney’s Office says.
An affidavit says Howard told an undercover agent that he “probably had five different girls pass out on him” while they were using the drug.

http://nypost.com/2015/05/27/college-lab-tech-arrested-for-selling-date-rape-drug/

College lab tech arrested for selling date-rape drug
By Fox News
New York Post
May 27, 2015 | 2:31pm

Beware the Flakka Men and Women, New Synthetic Drug Extremely Dangerous

[From article]

A mother is facing a child neglect charge after abandoning her baby while high on a synthetic drug called “flakka,” according to Boynton Beach Police.
Officers said they responded to a call Thursday of an unattended baby, crying and shivering, in front of an office building just feet away from Gulfstream Boulevard, with a Wal-Mart across the street and railroad tracks a few feet away.
[. . .]
Officers said she was unable to tell them where she was and how she got to where she was.
According to her arrest report, during questioning, she admitted to smoking flakka the night before while hanging out with friends.
From there, she made various stops including a Delray Beach hotel and a Wal-Mart.
[. . .]
The next thing, she said, she remembered was waking up in front of a Delray Beach Dunkin’ Donuts without her baby.
The report states she ran back to the Wal-Mart where she saw authorities and ran over to the scene where the baby was found.
Police said she admitted to smoking flakka regularly which has caused her to have hallucinations in the past.

http://miami.cbslocal.com/2015/04/30/police-mom-high-on-flakka-abandons-baby/

Police: Mom High On “Flakka” Abandons Baby
April 30, 2015 2:42 PM
CBS News Miami FL



* * *

[From article]
Capt. Dana Swisher: "We're looking at anywhere from five to 10 events a week where they're having to deal with someone on flakka.
A person on flakka can present a danger to police, so Fort Lauderdale officers have been getting special training.



Capt. Dana Swisher: "Individuals on this drug are exhibiting super-human strength. Our officers usually don't address a person on flakka if they don't have minimally four people there. It's going to take, minimally, four people to restrain their extremities.
Officers aren't the only ones on the flakka front line.
Dr. John Cunha: "Here at Holy Cross, we're seeing up to two to three cases a day now where we're seeing patients with altered mental status, they're flailing around, they are not controllable. They're not coherent mentally."



Experts say flakka, scientifically known as "Alpha-PVP", can cause "excited delirium" where body temperatures rise and kidneys can fail.
Dr. John Cunha: "One bad trip or one overdose on this drug can definitely kill you."
[. . .]



The sobering reality is the synthetic drug epidemic didn't begin, and doesn't end, with flakka."
It's hard to outlaw these synthetic drugs because the manufacturers can make minor chemical changes to them when specific compounds are banned. They are also being sold online.
Capt. Dana Swisher: "Some of the companies will actually show on their website, where they will guarantee they can get it through customs, and if they can't get it through customs, they will send you an additional shipment."
Recently, the United Way of Broward County Commission on Substance Abuse met to discuss the growing synthetic drug problem. Experts don't think it will end any time soon.

http://www.wsvn.com/story/28925327/flakka-and-the-rise-of-dangerous-synthetic-drugs

Flakka and The Rise of Dangerous Synthetic Drugs
Posted: Apr 28, 2015 10:53 PM EDT
Updated: Apr 28, 2015 10:53 PM EDT
Reported by Carmel Cafiero, Investigative Reporter
clue (at) wsvn.com
Produced by Daniel Cohen, Special Projects Producer

Woman Sues Sperm Bank, After Giving Birth To Black Baby

[From article]
In the lawsuit, Jennifer Cramblett claims the lab mix-up has caused her and her partner added stress and anxiety as they struggle to raise their 2-year-old bi-racial daughter, Payton, in their “racially intolerant” community of Uniontown, Ohio, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court, alleges that Midwest Sperm Bank gave her the vials of an African-American donor’s sperm in Sept. 2011, even though she and her partner had picked out sperm from a white donor.
[. . .]
The mother also complains that in order to get her daughter’s hair cut, she has to travel to a black neighborhood, “where she is obviously different in appearance, and not overtly welcome.”
She’s also worried that her bi-racial daughter will feel stigmatized around her “all white and unconsciously insensitive family.”

http://nypost.com/2014/10/01/sperm-bank-sued-after-white-woman-is-mistakenly-inseminated-by-black-donor/

Woman sues sperm bank after getting pregnant by black donor
By Danika Fears
New York Post
October 1, 2014 | 12:53pm

Scientists Grow Mini Human Brains

Smiling Politicians

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/28/us-brains-idUSBRE97R0Y320130828

Does this explain why politicians say and do what they say and do?

Scientists grow "mini human brains" from stem cells
By Kate Kelland, Health and Science Correspondent
LONDON
Wed Aug 28, 2013 1:01pm EDT