Leaders of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy sent a letter to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, adding their names to the list of scientists who have called for a global moratorium on experiments that could alter the genes of future generations, NPR reports.
This comes after the controversial experiment in China last year that reportedly produced children with edited genomes.
Scientists now are speaking out against the idea of engineering embryos until an “international framework” can be built to proceed responsibly. They wish to continue studies to determine if DNA in human embryos can be edited safely and effectively, as well as ethically. The appropriate uses for this process also need to be determined, such as preventing genetic disorders.
It has been stressed that this moratorium is not permanent, but temporary until the pros and cons of genetically editing embryos are evaluated.
Interested in learning more about genetic editing? Come checkout our panel at the 2019 GETS conference later this month.