What are the Ethical Concerns of Genome Editing?
There has always been a debate about the interference of human cells but with the new development of CRISPR, a genetic editing tool, consideration of the ethics side has been in the uprising.
Genome editing, or genetic editing, is a variety of technologies that give us humans the ability to change our and other organisms’ DNA. The discovery of CRISPR-Cas9 as a gene-editing method, especially in the world of molecular biology, was massive. Not only did this allow us to change an organism’s DNA, but it also opened the door for prime editing. This new development, created by David Liu and Andrew V. Anzalone of the Liu Group allowed us to make changes even more precise than before.
With this huge advancement, questions about the ethical side rose.
Informed Consent
In certain forms of gene editing, such as gene therapy, the patients getting affected are the embryo and the future generation. The decision of this edit is given to the parents of the edited area and this leads to the possibility of long-term risks which are still unknown. The complicated choice to use these technologies will continue to stay with the parent which is already making many decisions that affect their future children
Safety
In the process of genetic editing, the possibility of error is present. Off-target effects, or edits in the wrong place, and mosaicism, or when some cells carry the chosen edit but others do not, are mistakes that are relevant in these technologies. Researchers agree that editing genes are safe, as proven through research, but should not be used for reproductive purposes. As people continue to develop and use these methods of editing, some scientists argue that there may never be a time when genome editing in embryos will be of no ethical concerns.
Justice and Equity
As with many new technologies, there is concern that genome editing will only be accessible to the wealthy and will increase existing disparities in access to health care and other interventions. In the future, some worry that if germline editing is used to define someone, it will create a sense of class by the quality of their engineered genome.
What’s next?
Genomic editing will continue to adapt and the concerns presented will change. Keeping close tabs on these considerations is essential in the field to ensure the future looks positive.