US Scientists Just Edited a Human Embryo for the First Time. (Yes, People Are Freaking Out.)
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For the first known time in the United States, scientists used a gene-editing technique called CRISPR to modify early-stage human embryos, according to a report published Wednesday in MIT Technology Review.
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Since the development several years ago of CRISPR, a tool that allows scientists to change sequences of DNA within a cell, scientists have speculated about its potential to free families of genetic disease or stop the spread of other diseases like malaria, among other possibilities. But the technology also raises major ethical questions.
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Right now, scientists are supposed to stick to editing disease-causing genes. But the technology opens up the possibility of editing genes for ââ¬Åenhancementââ¬Âââ¬âallowing parents to edit for certain kinds of physical and behavioral characteristics in their children. Darnovsky worries that this would usher in an era of genetic discrimination. ââ¬ÅThat would be layering new forms of inequality and discrimination onto the ones we already live with,ââ¬Â she said.
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Is this legal?
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Probably. In 2015, Congress passed a law forbidding the Food and Drug Administration from reviewing applications for germline editing of human embryos, meaning no clinical trials can move forward with FDA funding. We donââ¬â¢t yet know how Mitalipov funded his project, but assuming it was funded privately, itââ¬â¢s perfectly legal.Â
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That wouldnââ¬â¢t be the case in many other countries. The Center for Genetics and Society reports that over 40 countries, ââ¬Åincluding most with established biotech sectors, have established legal prohibitions on germline modification for human reproduction.ââ¬Â An international treaty also prohibits it. The United States has no such policy.
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http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017...aking-out/
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