Medical experiments conducted by Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945 were horrific, aiming to create a “racially superior” human race. Doctors used advanced technology to harvest body parts, organs, and unborn children from prisoners, as well as performing sterilizations and causing intentional harm for research purposes. Adolf Hitler’s Lebensborn program focused on promoting and caring for individuals with the desired eugenic traits of light skin, blond hair, and blue eyes, encouraging reproduction. However, despite the troubling practices of Nazi Germany, German lawmakers have since implemented strict regulations governing assisted reproductive technology to prevent similar abuses.
In contrast, the United States has few regulations on practices like in vitro fertilization (IVF) that can lead to eugenic outcomes, such as selecting for specific genetic traits. While Germany prohibits selection based on sex or race, US fertility clinics offer preimplantation genetic diagnosis for these purposes. This lack of regulation raises ethical concerns about practices like discarding embryos based on undesired traits, similar to how Paris Hilton attempted to select for a girl using IVF.
German laws demonstrate that it is possible to regulate the fertility industry without banning all IVF practices, protecting life while preventing eugenics. Implementing similar regulations in the US would be both morally right and politically advantageous, as evidenced by public opinion supporting the availability of IVF for couples struggling with infertility. Conservatives can address concerns about embryo destruction in IVF by advocating for policies that limit surplus embryo creation and prohibit eugenic testing. Learning from the mistakes of the past, US lawmakers should prioritize ethical governance of the fertility industry.
