Why Are Scientists So Upset About the First Crispr Babies?

Wednesday, December 05, 2018

A Chinese scientist recently claimed he had produced the world's first gene-edited babies, setting off a global firestorm. If true -- the scientist has not yet published data that would confirm it -- his actions would be a sensational breach of international scientific conventions. Although gene editing holds promise to potentially correct dangerous disease-causing mutations and treat some medical conditions, there are many safety and ethical concerns about editing human embryos. Here are answers to some of the numerous questions swirling around this development.

Posted by BruceBanner at 11:30 PM | 16 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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it is not known if his study subjects knew what they were agreeing to. The consent they signed was for an AIDS vaccine development project, and it did not mention all the risks of disabling CCR₅. It said that if Crispr altered other genes, "the project team is not responsible for the risk."

-fta

#1 | Posted by BruceBanner at 2018-12-05 09:38 PM | Reply

#1 that's an ethics problem called Informed Consent which is unrelated to technical, scientific, or moral concerns about having GMO people.

#2 | Posted by snoofy at 2018-12-05 09:50 PM | Reply

In the year 6565
Ain't gonna need no husband, won't need no wife
You'll pick your son, pick your daughter, too
From the bottom of a long glass tube, whoa...

#3 | Posted by Danforth at 2018-12-05 10:00 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#2 there is a whole article snoof.

#4 | Posted by BruceBanner at 2018-12-05 10:41 PM | Reply

And are you really starting by minimizing ethics as a start to the conversation about editing humans?

#5 | Posted by BruceBanner at 2018-12-05 10:42 PM | Reply

#3 nice one.

We are stardust, but people didn't figure that out until 1960 or so. That's kind of hard to wrap your head around. Civilization is the culmination of 10,000 years of blind men fumbling in the dark.

#6 | Posted by snoofy at 2018-12-06 03:28 AM | Reply

I think there are too many ethical problems to discuss... lets keep racism as the preferred method of "editing" humans.

#7 | Posted by RightisTrite at 2018-12-06 06:04 AM | Reply

The CRISPR Baby Scandal Gets Worse by the Day

#8 | Posted by BruceBanner at 2018-12-06 08:17 AM | Reply

In humans, a naturally occurring variation of this gene -- the so-called delta 32 mutation -- confers some resistance against particular strains of HIV (but as has been pointed out, not all viral strains).

-The scientist

#9 | Posted by BruceBanner at 2018-12-06 08:22 AM | Reply

I am eagerly awaiting the first GMO fetuses to be aborted, dried, formed into flakes and featured as an uber-healthy, organic breakfast cereal called "COCOA CRISPRS"

#10 | Posted by NerfHerder at 2018-12-06 09:42 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

@#3

I have that 45 of Zager & Evans. It was on the RCA label, and among the first 45 singles to be in stereo...

#11 | Posted by LampLighter at 2018-12-06 11:50 AM | Reply

"and among the first 45 singles to be in stereo..."

I'm sure that helped with the futuristic feel of the song.

#12 | Posted by snoofy at 2018-12-06 01:45 PM | Reply

I don't know... Crispy babies actually sound yummy!

-donnerboy

#13 | Posted by donnerboy at 2018-12-06 06:30 PM | Reply

yeah what's not to love about a totalitarian state engaging in genetic engineering?

#14 | Posted by Tor at 2018-12-06 07:31 PM | Reply

Is it better when say Iceland does it, Tor?

#15 | Posted by snoofy at 2018-12-06 07:42 PM | Reply

Iceland isn't known for vanishing people.

There would be (are?) of course lots of ethics questions.

#16 | Posted by Tor at 2018-12-06 07:50 PM | Reply