As the society moves forward, newer technology are constantly being invented and discovered. This goes the same with CRISPR, one of the latest biological technology used to edit the human gene.
Part of the 9th grade ELA major essay collection. Today you are going to be reading my argument regarding on the use of gene editing. Just to give you a quick background on CRISPR and gene editing, it is a new technology that was recently discovered. It grants people the ability to manipulate and change how their out springs (baby) will be. This includes all the aspect bonded to genetics (eg. Looks, IQ, EQ, and personality).
“ The power to control our species’ genetic future is awesome and terrifying. Deciding how to handle it may be the biggest challenge we have ever faced.”
Jennifer A. Doudna - 2020 Nobel prize winner
The Hidden Danger of Gene Editing
The idea of altering the human gene has been referred to as something humans could not do, that is no longer true. With the introduction of CRISPR, humans wield the ability to edit the human gene; this creates an unimaginable number of possibilities. Although gene editing has many medical uses due to its high ability in curing diseases, it should not be used due to the numerous ethical concerns surrounding its safety and the potential start in creating designer babies.
With the introduction of gene editing, designer babies have become a larger topic for the scientific community. Many scientists are concerned about the introduction of designer babies and how they would affect society. A neuroscientist in the field stated, “It would create a division between those that can afford the service and those that cannot. Therefore, the wealthy would be able to afford the selection of desirable traits in their offspring, while those of lower socioeconomic standing would not be able to access the same options. As a result, economic divisions may grow into genetic divisions, with social distinctions delineating enhanced individuals from unenhanced individuals” (Ly). This indicates how dangerous and unpredictable designer babies can be; they can be the reason behind society drifting or breaking apart in the future.
Apart from the threats it can cause to society, gene editing can also be dangerous and risky for the individuals who are having their genes edited. Gene editing is still in its infancy, this raises the chance of making mistakes. According to an article, “It would be difficult to control exactly how many cells are modified. Increasing the dose of nuclease used would increase the likelihood that the mutated gene will be corrected, but also raise the risk of cuts being made elsewhere in the genome” (Lanphier et al.). This shows how unsafe gene editing is, the child born from the process can have mutations which cause unintended consequences leading to health problems.
Many people argue that gene editing can be a powerful tool in the medical field. While this statement has some truth, it is not enough to cover the dangerous consequences it can cause. By editing the human genes to be immune to diseases or bacteria, many mutations can occur causing it to be an unstoppable virus or bacteria. An article stated, “Those changes lead to antibiotic resistance or other mutations that go out into the population and would be very difficult to control. Basically, creating incurable diseases or other potential mutations that we wouldn’t really have control over” (Licholai). This explains why using gene editing medically can also cause the whole human society to suffer or be in danger.
The concerns regarding the safety and potential start in designer babies clearly outweigh the medical use gene editing can provide to humanity, hence, gene editing should not be use in the present nor future. By allowing the use of gene editing in humans, it puts danger on both the society and the person who is having their gene altered; furthermore, the only medical benefit of gene editing can also result in the creation of a new unstoppable virus or disease. Having these thoughts in mind, the scientific community should ban the use of gene editing to prevent any effect it can create.
Work Cited
Lanphier, Edward, et al. “Don't Edit the Human Germ Line.” Nature News, Macmillan Publisher Limited, 12 Mar. 2015, www.nature.com/news/don-t-edit-the-human-germ-line-1.17111.
Licholai, Greg. “CRISPR's Potential and Dangers: Is CRISPR Worth the Risk?” SciTechDaily, 22 Aug. 2018, scitechdaily.com/crisprs-potential-and-dangers-is-crispr-worth-the-risk/.
Ly, Sarah. “Ethics of Designer Babies.” Embryo Project Encyclopedia, 31 Mar. 2011, embryo.asu.edu/pages/ethics-designer-babies. Accessed 17 May. 2021.
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