Bill of Health Contributor Arthur Caplan has a new article in Project Syndicate:
There should no longer be any doubt about whether humans will one day be genetically modified. A new tool – called CRISPR – is already being used to edit the genomes of insects and animals. Essentially a very sharp molecular knife, CRISPR allows scientists to carve out and insert genes precisely and inexpensively. It is only a matter of time before it will be used to engineer our descendants – eliminating many dangerous hereditary diseases in the process.
To be sure, this eventuality is being hotly debated. The main arguments against genetic modification of human embryos are that it would be unsafe and unfair, and that modification would quickly go beyond efforts to reduce the incidence of inherited maladies. But, ultimately, none of these reasons is likely to be persuasive enough to stop the technology from being widely used. […]
Read the full article here.
Genetics: is that branch of biology which deals with the interaction of genes in producing the similarities and differences between individuals related by descent. I think according to this result “gene A belongs to one person and won’t be shared.” e.g., a couple of years ago; there was this heart-transplant which was successfully performed, but for those, life was short.
Good news is that every research if performed, lives us with the record of knowledge; which means it is already done. I think a good response; ” the main arguments against genetic modification of human embryos would be unsafe and
unfair” should be considered.to reduce the uncertainty.