La France au péril d'un retour de l'eugénisme ? L'exemple du diagnostic prénatal de la trisomie 21

The concept of eugenism has made a remarkable recovery in bioethical debates. An emblematic example of this disquieting moralistic is the diagnosis of trisomy 21, now established with such increasingly early and high reliability that there is a real risk the population of children with this chromosomal anomaly may be totally eradicated. After a description of the public health policy in France, the screening system applied, and the assumptions underlying its development, we make several propositions for the legislators on how to halt this eugenistic spiral. The freedom of physicians to prescribe tests, information and education at the announcement of the handicap, support for parents, and a policy of audacious research are all important perspectives which could lead to a new set of priorities for public health decisions concerning prenatal diagnosis in France.