Liberal eugenics, also known as new eugenics and consumer eugenics, is a neologism for a claimed ideology which advocates the use of reproductive and genetic technologies where the choice of enhancing human characteristics and capacities is left to the individual preferences of parents acting as consumers, rather than the public health policies of the state. The term was coined by bioethicist Nicholas Agar. Since around the year 2000, criticism has risen preferring to call the theory "libertarian eugenics" instead of its intention to keep to role of the state minimal in the advocated eugenics program.