CRISPR-Cas9 is a novel technology that allows geneticists and medical researchers to edit regions of the genome by removing, inserting, or modifying DNA sequences. In the field of research, it is currently the most simple, flexible, and precise approach to genetic manipulation. The ability to edit DNA in human embryos could one day prevent some major genetic illnesses from being handed down from parents to offspring. Researchers are currently figuring out whether this method is secure and efficient for usage by people. For a wide range of illnesses, including single-gene diseases like cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, and sickle cell disease, it is being investigated in research and clinical trials. Additionally, it shows promise in the management and avoidance of more complicated illnesses like cancer, heart disease, mental illness, and HIV infection. Gene editing is a good tool for preventing many genetic disorders passed down from parents to children, but there are still many ethical issues to take into consideration.

When genome editing technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9 are being used to modify human genomes, ethical considerations arise. The majority of the modifications brought about by genome editing are only applicable to somatic cells, or cells other than egg and sperm (germline cells). Only specific tissues are affected by these alterations, and they are not passed down from one generation to the next. However, alterations made to the genes of an embryo, sperm, or egg cells may be passed on to the next generations. A number of ethical issues, such as whether it would be acceptable to employ this technology to improve typical human qualities (such as height or IQ), are raised by germline cell and embryo genome editing. Germline cell and embryo genome editing are now prohibited in the United States and many other nations due to ethical and safety concerns.

Citations

Ledford, H. (2020). ‘CRISPR babies’ are still too risky, says influential panel. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-02538-4Links to an external site.

What are genome editing and CRISPR-Cas9?: MedlinePlus Genetics. (n.d.). https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/genomicresearch/genomeediting/Links to an external site.