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最后更新时间：格林尼治标准时间 2011年7月5日 09:13分
Danielle and Daniel are one of only a handful of couples using Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) on the NHS to screen out the breast cancer gene “英国国民健康保险制度”（NHS）中有一项“着床前胚胎遗传学诊断”（PGD），只有为数不多夫妇使用这项诊断，Danielle和Daniel夫妇就是其中一对，他们用它筛选出乳癌基因。 New genetic treatments can help couples ensure their baby will not inherit family diseases such as cancer but, as Adam Wishart explains, advances in science bring with them new dilemmas. 新型基因疗法能帮助夫妻确保他们的小孩不会遗传家族疾病，比如癌症，但也正如Adam Wishart解释的，科学进展让这些夫妻面临左右为难的新困境。 A year ago, in South Shields, teacher Daniel Stanley faced one of the toughest things for a brother - watching his younger sister Natasha die of breast cancer at the tender age of 28. 一年以前，在英格兰泰恩威尔郡的South Shields，身为哥哥的教师Daniel Stanley亲眼目睹了他最痛苦的事情，就是眼看着自己28岁的妹妹，还在花样年华的Natasha死于乳癌。 "It is hard to watch someone like that. Optimistic one minute, and then to receive another diagnosis," said Daniel. Daniel说：“上一分钟情况还很乐观，下一分钟又恶化了，她让人看了心碎。” As Natasha died, she discovered that the cancer had a genetic basis on one of two breast cancer genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2. 当Natasha快要离开人世的时候，她才知道她的癌症与乳癌基因有关，BRCA1和BRCA2其中的一个。 Daniel was also tested and found out that he had the same gene. Daniel也被测试发现有相同的基因。 It placed him on the horns of a very difficult dilemma because he wanted children, but did not want to pass on the gene. 这让Daniel陷入了矛盾，他既想要孩子，但又不想把致病基因传给孩子。 Different ethics 不同的伦理 Through his genetic counsellors, he and his partner Danielle were offered Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) - a technique which screens IVF embryos for genetic disorders. 在基因顾问帮助下，Daniel和妻子Danielle可以使用PGD，这种技术可以在试管受精的胚胎中识别出遗传紊乱现象。 When the embryos are only eight cells large, an embryologist very carefully makes a hole in each shell, and sucks out a single cell to be tested genetically. 在胚胎还只有8个细胞大小的时候，胚胎学家仔细地在每个细胞壁上开一个洞，然后吸出一个单细胞做遗传学测试。
Any that are free of the faulty gene are transferred into the mother's womb. 然后把测试出没有缺陷基因的细胞转入到母体子宫里。
PGD has been offered by the NHS for more than a decade for serious diseases that come early in childhood, like cystic fibrosis or Tay Sachs, a neurological disease. NHS提供PGD技术已经超过10年时间了，用来治疗一些早在儿童时期发病的严重疾病，例如囊性纤维化(属遗传性胰腺病)或者叫泰萨氏病的一种神经学疾病。 But for a treatable adult disease the ethics are debatable, and so the first child free of the breast cancer gene by PGD was born only in 2009. 但对于将PGD用于可治疗的成人疾病，在伦理学上存在争议，所以直到2009年，才有第一个用PGD方法去乳癌的孩子。 There are some that argue that by using PGD for these diseases Britain is taking a step onto a dangerous slippery slope. 有一些观点认为，使用PGD治疗这些疾病，英国是迈上了光滑的陡坡。 Mutant gene 突变体基因 Professor Michael Baum, a leading researcher in breast cancer, is doubtful whether PGD should be used for inherited breast cancer. Michael Baum教授是研治乳癌的领军人物，对将PGD用于治疗遗传性乳癌有疑虑。 "There is a phenomena in genetics and cellular development called co-expression in which two genes can be stuck together," he said. 他说：“在遗传学和细胞发育过程中有一个现象叫做“共同表达”，也就是两个基因可以连在一起。” "If you have the mutant gene, that might be co-expressed with favourable components of the human genome. “如果你有突变体基因，那这个突变基因有可能和人类基因组中的有利基因共同表达。” "So if you breed out the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation you may inadvertently breed out something of value. “所以利用人工繁殖抽除变异基因BRCA1和BRCA2，那么同时在不经意间也可能把有价值的东西抽走了。” "Just say it is the gene or the complex of genes for beauty, or say it is a complex of genes for high intelligence. “这种有价值的东西，简单来说就是基因的美丽或是基因因其复杂而生的美丽，或者说是因基因的复杂而生的高智能。” "There is a risk. If we select out all the embryos that have these mutations then we might be selecting out some of the best people in society. “存在这样一种风险，如果我们把所有带变异体的胚胎都挑出去，那么可能就是正在把社会中最优秀的人扔出去。” "Now you think that is facetious. It may not be beauty and intelligence but it may be something else that has an evolutionary advantage." “现在你认为这么说很可笑，这些基因可能既不美，也不高智能。但却可能是有进化优势的基因。” Pioneers 先锋 Despite the arguments, Daniel and Danielle have decided to become part of the pioneers for breast cancer. 尽管存在争议，Daniel夫妇还是决定做胚胎筛选的先锋。 "I think I'd feel a lot less comfortable with the idea if we were being more selective - if we were saying we wanted a boy or a girl," said Daniel. Daniel说：“一想到我们是不是还要选择，是要男孩还是女孩，我心理就感到很不舒服。” Danielle said: "We are not changing the genes, we are just selecting the embryos without a cancer gene. Danielle说“我们不是在改变基因，我们只是选择没有癌症基因的胚胎。” "The other option we were given was to conceive naturally and then to have a gender test and then have a termination if it was a girl. I couldn't do that." “我们的其他选择是顺其自然，然后做性别测试，然后如果是女孩的话就堕胎。可我做不到，不能看着它发生。” Daniel feels that having watched his sister, preventing that kind of suffering is almost a kind of duty. Daniel觉得看过他妹妹痛苦死亡的样子，那么避免这种悲剧就可以说是一种责任。
Natasha28岁就死于乳癌 "If science has given me that power to do something about it then really I should use that power. That is something that the human race has created - it is part of the history of our progress and that is an opportunity really." “如果科学给了我们治疗的能力，我们就应该使用这种能力。这是人类智慧的结晶，是人类历史的进步，也确实是一个机会。” Daniel and Danielle hope to go through PGD later in the year at Guy's hospital in London. Daniel夫妇希望今年晚些时候在英国伦敦医学院（guy's hospital）接受PGD。 |
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