A national discussion on gene editing is urgently needed

The Australian Academy of Sciences has joined a growing number of groups calling for a national discussion on a range of new genetic engineering techniques that are being referred to as gene editing. Our Federal regulator – the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) – is currently deciding how to regulate these techniques. However, most of the discussion so far has taken place between industry ‘experts’ behind closed doors.

In order to catalyse discussion, the Academy released a discussion paper last week on gene drives. Gene drives – developed using the new gene editing technique CRISPR – are designed to force a particular genetically engineered trait to spread through an entire wild population. The intent is to change the genes of entire species or even cause deliberate extinctions.

The Academy report talks about the wonderful potential of gene drives to potentially wipe out invasive species and insect carried diseases such as malaria; and even to reverse insect and weed resistance to pesticides. However, there is so far precious little evidence that gene drives would even work in wild populations...