Chapter 13 - The Belgian experience: Cultural and political factors shaping preimplantation genetic diagnosis during in vitro fertilization

Abstract

Belgium adopted a liberal law on the application of medically assisted reproduction in 2007. This law allows preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) but explicitly forbids PGD for eugenic purposes and sex selection, except for sex-linked genetic disorders. The centers for medical genetics have the authority to decide in which cases PGD can be applied. This means that there are no restrictions on the seriousness of the disease, the variability of expression, or the penetrance of the disorder.