Ethical considerations of CRISPR Gene editing

In the Bio Cybersecurity section of the course many ethical considerations were identified that raised concerns for human safety. CRISPR technology has made a tremendous impact on medicine and agriculture. Yet this could be misused to create bioweapons or harmful genetic modifications like virus on computers. The possibility of there being a malicious agents embedded into DNA like in “Malicious Code Written into DNA”, highlights the need for constringent security measures in bioinformatics. The digitization of genetic information makes a risk of data breaches, discussed in “Hacking Humans: Protecting Our DNA from Cybercriminals.” DNA is the ultimate Identification Card, a personally identifiable information (PII), and its potential data breach could lead to identity theft or exploitation. “Designer Babies”, or the enhancement of human traits raises questions about fairness, consent, and social issues. This also hasn’t been studied thoroughly enough to know the long-term impacts on future generations and offspring. The ethical use of CRISPR technology underscores the need for international governance to establish and implement restrictions and guidelines. CRISPR holds immense technological advancements, but its ethical concerns and security challenges has to be addressed through policies and interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure its safe and used responsibly.