A Chinese academic recently claimed that he had successfully created the world’s first genetically-edited babies.
What is his research on?
The researcher worked with seven volunteered couples, wherein each couple had one partner who was HIV-positive.
The aim was to ensure that HIV is not transmitted to the child.
He used the Crispr Cas9 technology, which works like a genetic cut-and-paste tool,that allows researchers to permanently modify genes in living cells and organisms.
Under the technology, he edited the genomes of 16 embryos to disable a gene, CCR5, which allows HIV to infect cells.
He then used the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) technique to implant edited embryos, that lead to the birth of genetically edited babies.
The changes so made are inheritable and passed on to descendants.
What are the concerns?
Complications - Modifying the DNA of an embryo to create a “designer” baby may have many consequences, including long-term ones affecting the species.
In this case, disabling of the CCR5 gene is known to lead to higher risks such as heightened susceptibility to flu.
Targeting - The Crispr Cas9 technique is also controversial because it is known to cause damage by “off-target editing” that damages untargeted genes.
Since the changes are inheritable, the gene-edited babiesmay even have to forego having children, if any negative genetic traits are witnessed in the course of their life.
Population composition - Genetic editing in humans with customised traits could empower eugenicists and racists, thereby encouraging selective breeding of the human population by eliminating undesirable traits.
Regulation - Gene editing is banned in most countries, including China.
In the UK, where gene editing of embryos is permitted only after strict regulatory approval.
Hence, many people from the scientific community have asked for a moratorium on editing human embryos.
The scientific, commercial and ethical implications of this technique have to be researched further before getting it implemented on a large scale.
