Ethical issues in gene editing need to be discussed now, despite the relatively distant progress in the field, the Nuffield Council for Bioethics says. The report says that while there is a growing body of evidence on how genetic engineering can improve human health, it has not yet been demonstrated whether such techniques are ethically acceptable. There are concerns that CRISPR could have unintentional consequences when used on humans, and that it could lead to “designer babies”. However, the technology could prevent inherited genetic diseases and increase food production rates, leading the council to urge legislative action to ensure ethics are not left out of the development process.
Ethical issues in gene editing need to be discussed now, despite the relatively distant progress in the field, the Nuffield Council for Bioethics says. Following the study of CRISPR, a biological system for editing DNA, the council says that discussing the technology is “desirable” to help introduce the idea publicly. There are concerns that CRISPR could have unintentional consequences when used on humans, and that it could lead to “designer babies”. However, the technology could prevent inherited genetic diseases and increase food production rates, leading the council to urge legislative action to ensure ethics are not left out of the development process.