The human embryo genome editing issue has generated a heap of controversy, as Digital Journal has reported. In a nutshell, a Chinese research group has edited the DNA of human embryos. The objective of such research is, in the longer-term, to replace faulty genes in early human embryos and germ cells. The key issue is that such changes would affect DNA in the nucleus and these would be heritable. Thus taking the research further could lead to genetically modified babies.
The global controversy surrounding the work has led the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) to make a statement. According to a statement, NIH indicates that it supports the development of gene-editing technologies to produce knockout mouse models, develop new antimicrobials, and create HIV-resistant human immune cells, among other applications. However the agency states that it will not fund research seeking to edit human embryos.
Here the federal agency emphasizes: “The concept of altering the human germline in embryos for clinical purposes has been debated over many years from many different perspectives, and has been viewed almost universally as a line that should not be crossed,” Collins wrote. “Advances in technology have given us an elegant new way of carrying out genome editing, but the strong arguments against engaging in this activity remain”
Although ethical issues are important, some scientists also warn that the current technology is too immature for any meaningful data to be generated.
