Decisional authority and moral responsibility of patients and clinicians in the context of preimplantation genetic diagnosis.

Case reports reveal that clinicians applying preimplantation genetic diagnosis are increasingly confronted with requests by patients which they consider ethically problematic. These requests raise the question to what extent physicians share responsibility for the welfare of the future child. Two categories of situations are analysed: when patients unilaterally review the agreement made with the medical staff and when they request an application that increases rather than reduces the risk of having a termination of pregnancy. It is concluded that physicians have their own responsibility in the process, which allows them to introduce conditions before starting infertility treatment.