The Ethics Of…
Why Is Gene Editing So Controversial?
Progress in gene editing technology has been equally rapid and controversial. Just take a look back at 2018 when a scientist (who has since faced jail time) genetically edited two embryos!
Consequently, it’s clear there are many questions about the ethical issues of this technology that we need to ponder as a society.
First, let’s understand the two main kinds of gene editing. Somatic gene editing only affects the organism being treated, and only a portion of their cells. Germline editing affects all of an organism’s cell, including the sperm and egg cells it will pass down.
Benefits
Gene editing is beneficial for fighting illnesses and can also be used to edit baby fetuses. Gene editing also has potential to be used agriculturally, to improve crop growth.
Social Problems
While there are many benefits to this technology, there are also many controversies. Socially, gene editing can further the division between the upper and lower classes. Due to this technology being a very costly procedure that only the wealthy can afford, it’s possible the privileged would become more privileged, and potentially even create classes based on genome editing.
This technology does offer a cure for the children of families who suffer from genetic diseases, relieving the pain of many, but it can also be used purely for enhancement.
Additionally, there is controversy on whether parents should be allowed to genetically edit their babies, which relates back to class hierarchies being made through gene editing.
The applications of gene editing to modify human embryos has a lot of controversy and ethics to consider. There is a difference in editing a baby’s DNA to make them immune to sickle cell anemia and affecting their appearance or intelligence. There is the decision to be made of whether pure enhancement should be allowed, and whether the benefits of gene editing outweigh the risks.
Risks
For single gene mutation diseases like sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis, gene editing is a great choice. It seems like an obvious way to relieve the suffering of many.
However, in addition to these benefits, there is the requirement of extreme precision. Safety is a primary concern. The risk of edits in the wrong place or if only a portion of cells carry the edits is present. Some argue there are already safer, better options, such as preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and in-vitro fertilization (IVF), so gene editing is not necessary.
Future
Gene editing definitely requires regulation in the future. There are many moral questions that need to be answered and considerations to address. But if we have discussions every step of the way as a collective, we have a shot at using this technology for the benefit of all.
This article was written by Alina Gao and edited by Parmin Sedigh.
