Book Review: The End of Sex and the Future of Human Reproduction by Henry T. Greely

Abstract

In the End of Sex and the Future of Human Reproduction, Henry Greely predicts that in twenty to forty years many, if not most, children will be conceived in a laboratory and selected for gestation and birth based on their sex, health, and other traits. Greely identifies several technological innovations that will make preimplantation genetic diagnosis (“PGD”) less onerous and cheaper in coming years, paving the way for its widespread use. In this short, invited review, I argue that Greely deftly accomplishes his stated goal of raising provocative questions about this predicted future and providing readers information to draw their own conclusions about its desirability. I also raise three issues that received limited treatment in the book, warranting further exploration. First, how might the difficulty in choosing between incommensurable options affect the use rates of PGD? Second, what impact will PGD have on the social and legal construction of family relationships? Third, how will the use of PGD affect socioeconomic and racial inequality?

Keywords: PGD, IVF, ART, Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis