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Gene editing must never be used to create “designer babies” with enhanced abilities, the director of the National Institutes of Health told a gathering of top scientists on [July 12].
More provocatively, [NIH Chief Francis Collins] also said that science is not ready for the controversial new technology to be used to eliminate genetic diseases that are passed down from one generation to the next.
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“I think we should be pushing [CRISPR in adult cells] at maximum speed,” [Collins said]. “But germline — no.”
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“I do believe that humans are…individuals and a species with a special relationship to God, and that requires of a great deal of humility about whether we are possessed of enough love and intelligence and wisdom to start manipulating our own species,” [Collins] said.
But Collins does not speak for all Christians. Following Collins’ remarks, Rev Ronald Cole-Turner…told the committee that some Christian groups are open to gene editing in human embryos — if scientists can prove that it’s safe.
Read full, original post: No One Should Edit The Genes Of Embryos To Make Babies, NIH Chief Says
