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Designers Babies Genetically Modified Embryos
A group of scientists are today urging world leaders to ban the use of gene editing technology, warning it is a slippery slope that could lead to a rise in ‘designer babies.’
The concept of genetically modified human beings many sound like the plot of a science fiction movie. But, scientists at the Center for Genetics and Society said in a new report that techniques for editing genes may soon become commonplace. They warn it could lead to parents paying to ‘enhance’ their children – using gene editing, to make their offspring smarter or more athletic as they please. Allowing the use of these techniques is dangerous, the scientists said. The modified genes will inevitably be passed on to the next generation. And at this point in time there is no way for scientists to know the long-term ramifications of ‘enhancing’ future populations. ‘Once the process begins, there will be no going back. This is a line we must not cross,’ said Pete Shanks, a consulting researcher with the Center for Genetics and Society and the lead author of the report.
Scientists also warn that the concept of gene editing is reminiscent of eugenics. Dr Emily Smith Beitiks, associate director of the Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability at San Francisco State University said: 'These proposed applications raise social justice questions and put us at risk of reviving eugenics -controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of "desirable" heritable characteristics' However, advocates for the technique argue that the use of the gene editing technology, called CRISPR/Cas9, would revolutionize health care. They claim it will allow scientists to prevent genetically inherited diseases, while also significantly reducing the chances of other conditions being passed down the generations. In March, several US scientists revealed that they had secretly been carrying out extensive work into the area of altering the DNA of human embryos. Shortly thereafter, Chinese researchers reported, in April, that they had actually used gene editing techniques to alter human embryos for the first time in history. The developments prompted scientists, in addition to the National Institutes of Health and other agencies, to call for a moratorium on experimenting with human embryos in April and May. The National Academies of Sciences announced at the same time, it was organizing an international summit to discuss the implications of gene editing in December. The report, which was co-authored by activists from Friends of the Earth, was released yesterday, ahead of today's summit. The report’s authors ask world leaders to impose national and international prohibitions on the use of gene editing and synthetic biology to alter human DNA for reproductive purposes. They say a ban is especially important in countries like the US, which hasn’t already enacted such a prohibition. The scientists also said that extensive research and oversight into the topic is needed. They call for a transparent and democratic process to evaluate the implications of the technology, and also for governments and the public to hold scientists and entrepreneurs accountable for the regulation of these ‘potentially hazardous technologies.’ Dr Marcy Darnovsky, executive director of the Center for Genetics and Society, said: ‘This technology will alter both human biology and human society. 'The scientists developing it cannot be the only ones making decisions that are so important for all of us.
Written by Lisa Ryan Retrieved From:
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