A little boy born with a severe and incurable hereditary form of anaemia had only one chance of a full and healthy life – a transfusion of blood of an identical genetic match.
His parents had a son using diagnostic genetic preimplantation (DGP), an in-vitro fertilisation process using genetic engineering.
When Javier was born, blood from his umbilical cord was used to transplant platelets into seven-year-old Andrés.
A procedure that is often condemned by some strict Christians and pro-life groups, genetically-engineered IVF – or creating 'designer babies' – is frequently the only way to cure hereditary illnesses.
Sevilla's Virgen del Rocío hospital is not only the first in Spain, but the first in the world, to carry out a blood transplant of this type using the umbilical cord of a 'purpose built' sibling.
Andalucía is currently the only autonomous region in Spain that carries out DGP births, and has so far seen nine babies born who are free from hereditary diseases they would certainly have contracted in the absence of this process.
Andrés was discharged from hospital a month ago and check-ups this week reveal that he is making excellent progress.
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