Sissi Li (9) | STAFF REPORTER
On November 25, 2018, two new voices joined the chorus of newborn babies of this world. They were the perfectly healthy twins Lulu and Nana. There was only one difference: the two baby girls are completely immune to HIV/AIDS. While they were still in their mother’s womb, scientist He JianKui and his team used the gene-editing technology CRISPR to cut out CCR5, the gene responsible for infection from HIV. Thus, the first-ever genetically modified babies were born. Of course, this caused an uproar in the science and medicine community and the Chinese scientist was heavily attacked for violating medical conventions and disregarding the safety and health of his patients. However, many more regarded this as an inevitable first step heralding the dawn of a new era.
Humans have been altering genomes for thousands of years through selective breeding but it is only recently that we turned our eyes from chickens and soybeans to ourselves. With the breakthrough of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR), which is essentially a copy and paste scalpel in the field of genomics using the protein CAS9, tweaking DNA has become widely accessible to scientists and a whole lot cheaper. This has prompted scientists and investors to put more money and energy into researching and developing the field, hoping to combat diseases and eventually, though no one likes to admit it, upgrade the human genome.
While somatic editing only changes the genes of already existing cells and matured patients(used to treat diseases), human germline editing modifies reproductory cells and the DNA of embryos, thus having far more impactful outcomes. The little additions and deletions one makes in an unborn child will not only determine the characteristics of their adult self but also that of their offspring, soon to spread over the entire gene pool, changing humanity as a species forever. While this might sound uncomfortable and frightening to some, there are in fact many benefits to pursuing human germline gene editing.
This in turn leads cialis online price us to erectile dysfunction. The idea is to take herbal things, test their efficiency and make them commercially available to the public market tadalafil online cheap in 1998 and remains one of the most successful treatments for curing impotency. It improves cialis online online blood flow and adjusts hormone balance. After getting the effect of the medicine you may have to register the name of you through websites. buy viagra without consultationCRISPR allows scientists to dive into the complex structure of DNAs and pinpoint the exact spot that needs to be changed. So, scientists can eliminate the genes responsible for genetic diseases such as hemophilia, Huntington’s disease, down syndrome, and cystic fibrosis. Once the technology has been fully developed and cleared for clinical uses, this could help many kids have normal lives undeterred by medical conditions.
Moreover, not only can we use genetic engineering to wipe away diseases, but we can also use it to improve our bodily functions. Improving our immune system would eradicate a lot of the diseases that haunt us today, such as cancer and malaria. Providing a better metabolism and slowing down ageing are also appealing ideas, with endless other possibilities. The field would not start off as extreme. It would proclaim that the technology is being used, and will only ever be used to improve health. But, it is only a matter of time before services extend to upgrades in traits such as perfect eyesight and higher intelligence. Human nature ensures it.
Many would object that this widens the gap between classes and accentuates inequality, as at first only the rich would have access to the matured technology. However, that is always the case with new technology. When computers first appear in the 1970s only the elite could use them. Now, practically everyone has one at home or at work. Others would argue that messing with the natural process of reproduction and evolution challenges the basic definition of humanity and violates principles such as equality and justice. However, that brings to question whether these ethical values are still relevant in the face of eugenics and genomics. When one could have the chance to give their child a healthier body and higher chances of happiness, who has the right to deny them that opportunity? Moreover, when people say that the use of widespread genetic engineering in the future will enforce a mould of perfection upon the future generations that will ultimately oppress them, that is purely hypocritical, as we are already doing that to today’s generation through pre-established prejudices and social media. For example, society introduces the harmful notion that being skinny is better than being fat.
Banning germline editing will only stall the path of society’s progress, which means that instead of avoiding it out of fear for change, we should work together to regulate development and ensure that the field is on the right track.
