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Scientists should be allowed to use DNA editing to prevent severe diseases.
STATES CHRONICLE – Scientists should help people who are likely to suffer from severe conditions by using DNA editing. They should be allowed to prevent incurable diseases by implementing the technology that could save so many lives if used correctly. There are genetic illnesses which can be transmitted by parents to their children.
Based on the data provided by a new report from the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine, scientists should be granted permission to prevent strongly heritable illnesses. Nevertheless, altering the genes to enhance or modify characteristics like intelligence beauty or strength should be off-limits.
In the United States, DNA editing is illegal. Enhancing the germline, by editing genes from the human reproductive cells, is not permitted in America. It has been considered unethical due to the analysis of scientists and bioethicists who have been analyzed the effects of such a process, figuring out that they may enable moral dilemmas and catastrophic consequences.
Despite all these factors, scientists continued to study the problem, trying to find a feasible way to apply gene-editing technologies by using a revolutionary technique called CRISPR-Cas9. A lot of scientists support the idea that DNA editing would save a lot of lives and could also help treat those patients who were diagnosed with metabolic disorders.
This technology could enable them to cure particular types of cancer and a wide range of other dangerous diseases which usually occur due to gene mutations. In 2016, some Chinese researchers have launched a trial which makes use of CRISPR-Cas9 in a treatment used to cure lung cancer. While scientists are eager to reveal the results of that trial, other researchers have expressed their concern arguing that ethical reservations in Europe and the US will not accept the use of such a technology.
The new technology CRISPR-Cas9 enables DNA editing to be more straightforward and more precise. Thus, the report published by the National Academies has noted that modifying heritable DNA in early embryos, sperm or eggs are transforming into a realistic possibility which should be taken into consideration.
The team of bioethicists and scientists formed by 22 people developed the report and completed a review with all the problems which may occur if the gene editing plan will actualize.
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