August 26, 2015
In Editing Humanity, The Economist highlights the benefits of gene editing by one of the newer technologies called CRISPR-Cas9. The benefits of CRISPR-Cas9 over older technologies are that it is simpler, faster and more precise. It also holds great promise for targeting and eradicating a host of human diseases. However, one of the issues is how far should scientists go with a technology whose implications are not completely understood? It is one thing to mess around with random cells in a petri dish for experimentation purposes and then disposing them but quite another to begin messing with germ-line cells and creating a modified entity where the effects affect future generations. While CRISPR-Cas9 is a tremendous breakthrough, there is still much to be learned and understood about this gene editing method to avoid its being unleashed in counterproductive and harmful ways. However, states the article, dilemmas, concerns, and a bit of a learning curve should not impede “CRISPR’s benefits or obstruct its progress.”