The rise of gene-edited embryos has raised a myriad of ethical questions. It involves altering DNA to prevent disease or even to choose specific traits using a method known as CRISPR.
Pro: It could help treat a number of diseases
Turning to genetic modification could be a solution for a number of genetic diseases including sickle cell anemia, muscular dystrophy and cancer. This can be done through modifying human embryos to correct the genetic issue.
…
Con: Could lead to new genetic diseases
Much is still unknown about the consequences of genetically modifying embryos. “Experiments have also shown that in about 20% of cases, these genome-editing changes can lead to substantial rearrangements of a person’s genome, which is very, very dangerous,” remarked Lovell-Badge. “It could cause cancer.” Along with potentially causing disease, genome editing could also “create new genetic diseases that could then be passed down for generations,” essentially expanding the range of genetic diseases rather than reducing it, NPR reported. This has led to even more questions surrounding ethics.
