Britain's fertility watchdog has awarded a licence to an IVF doctor in order to screen and destroy embryos for a disease which is treatable with drugs and diet. Dr Paul Serhal, of University College, in London, will assist a fertile couple who want their child to be free of the gene for familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). In its severest form, this disease causes high cholesterol levels even at the age of 5. Many of those affected die in childhood or have suffered at least one heart attack by the end of their 20s.

However, this happens only if a child inherits two defective copies of the gene. With only one, the condition is easily controlled. Dr Serhal's patients have one child with the severe form and one without the disease at all. He has obtained permission, according to the London Times, to screen for both versions. Until now, the HFEA only allowed screening for genes which caused severely disabling diseases.

Mr Serhal says the parents will face "an awkward choice" if none of their embryos are unaffected. By that he seems to mean that they will either have to destroy them all because they are defective or accept one of them as second-best. ~ London Times, Dec 15