Prenatal Transhumanism Quiz

Statement 1: Whoever manipulates the genetic material of human germ cells in Germany (e.g. by CRISPR) faces up to 5 years imprisonment or fines. This is stated in an embryo school law.

Statement 2: There are countries where egg donation and surrogacy are allowed (not in Germany). For example, in the USA there are fertility clinics where the client can choose the egg donor for his/her future child from catalogs.

Statement 3: In Germany, pre-implantation diagnostics (PID) is prohibited. This means that the genetic material of embryos created in the laboratory for artificial insemination may not be examined.

Statement 4: In order to donate tissue to a sick sibling, so-called helper or savior siblings can be created. Through artificial insemination, an embryo is created in the laboratory that has exactly the same genetic material as the already born sibling. It is therefore a clone and can cure its sick sibling.

Statement 5: Back in 2015, Chinese researchers actively interfered with the genetic material of more than 80 human embryos through CRSPR (the embryos had previously been screened out as non-viable by a fertility clinic). The work was intended to contribute to research on prenatal elimination of inherited diseases. Gene replacement was demonstrated in 4 embryos. However, there were unexpectedly many gene changes in other parts of the genome that were not planned.

Statement 6: Throughout Europe, it is forbidden to interfere with human genetic material. It is considered immoral and too risky.

Statement 7: In 2018, a Chinese scientist announced that two genetically engineered girls had been born. The goal of his research was to make the children HIV-resistant. However, the success of the operation for one child has already been disproved. The experiment has not yet been officially confirmed.

Statement 8: Since a young couple were big fans of Megan Fox, they absolutely wanted a child who had just as special blue eyes as the actress. However, both of them have brown eyes. A researcher friend of theirs made this dream possible by manipulating the corresponding genetic sequence of the embryo through CRSPR.