Did a Permissive Scientific Culture Encourage the ‘CRISPR babies’ experiment?
By Donna Dickenson, Marcy Darnovsky,
Nature
| 03. 15. 2019
To the Editor — The claim last November by He Jiankui to have engineered the first CRISPR-edited babies has ignited voluble condemnation from scientists worldwide. What, then, made this rogue researcher think that his ‘achievement’ would be welcomed? One possible factor is that He claimed that he was influenced by the words and actions of key US and UK scientists. He attended and was an invited speaker at several meetings about gene editing, including several focused on the ethical acceptability of human germline modification1. And he explicitly cited the 2017 US National Academies of Science report as support for what he did2.
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics in the UK also issued a report in July 20183. Notably, it concludes that germline genome editing could be permissible under certain circumstances. More strongly, it moves beyond the merely permissible to the ethically obligatory, saying in its final section (paragraph 5.2) that “there are moral reasons to continue with the present lines of research and to secure the conditions under which heritable genome editing would be...
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By Center for Genetics and Society
| 07.19.2019
If you follow news about human germline editing — altering the genes and traits of future generations — you’re likely familiar with the name Denis Rebrikov. The Russian molecular biologist, who has ties to both research facilities and fertility clinics, has publicly declared his intention to become the second scientist to use CRISPR technology to alter the genomes of human embryos, establish pregnancies, and bring the resulting babies to term. While he originally said he planned to target the CCR5...
By Center for Genetics and Society
| 07.16.2019
On July 15, Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Jack Reed (D-RI) introduced a bipartisan resolution calling for the creation of international ethical standards for gene-editing research.
The Center for Genetics and Society welcomes the introduction of this resolution, which highlights the importance of international cooperation and broadly inclusive public deliberation in making the consequential decision about whether to allow heritable genome editing.
“The timing is key,” said CGS’ Executive Director Marcy Darnovsky. “Just last month, a second...
By Gemma Buck, National Post | 07.08.2019
Canadian bioethicists and genetics experts are speaking out against Denis Rebrikov, the Russian molecular biologist who plans — in defiance of international scientific norms — to alter human embryos using CRISPR gene-editing technology to allow prospective parents with genetic deafness...
By Jackie Leach Scully & Teresa Blankmeyer Burke, Guest Contributors
| 07.09.2019
Editors note: This article was originally published on impactethics.ca and is reposted here with generous permission from Impact Ethics.
In November 2018, the world learned that a Chinese biophysicist, He Jiankui, had used CRISPR genome editing technology to manipulate the genomes of two children prior to their birth to make them immune to HIV infection. This was followed by almost universal condemnation and calls for a global moratorium. But it was entirely predictable that before too long there would be...
