Hah: Backlash Forces NHS to Withdraw Report Praising 1st Cousin Marriage “Benefits”

The politicos and bureaucrats of the United Kingdom (UK) manage to make the hot mess they have created even hotter and messier.

Last week, the National Health Service (NHS) England Genomics Education Programme published guidance that appeared to endorse the benefits of first-cousin marriages. The proposed guidelines minimized the potential genetic consequences and risks of inherited health problems, while also emphasizing the cultural diversity argument.

Research into first-cousin marriage describes various potential benefits, including stronger extended family support systems and economic advantages (resources, property and inheritance can be consolidated rather than diluted across households). In addition, though first-cousin marriage is linked to an increased likelihood of a child having a genetic condition or a congenital anomaly, there are many other factors that also increase this chance (such as parental age, smoking, alcohol use and assisted reproductive technologies), none of which are banned in the UK...