The human race is approaching a new frontier in medical science: Genetic engineering. With the new CRISPR technology we have, we are able to edit genes much more precisely than we used to be, and we will be able to alter the human genome. Essentially, Gene editing is changing the body’s genes by altering or removing them. This advancement has also spurred a new debate: even if we can alter genes, should we? And if we would, should there be a limit? I believe that gene editing is simply the next step in medical technology, and that we should take advantage of it. Gene editing can benefit us in many ways, and I believe that we should edit the human genome, but to an extent. The CRISPR technology is extremely risk safe, and Gene editing could help prevent genetic diseases. This does not mean we shouldn’t set limits to what genes we edit, though. Do we really want to live in a world full of superhumans?
The first reason why we should edit genes is because the CRISPR technology is risk free and failsafe. There have been a few concerns in people that using the CRISPR technology to edit genes could possibly come with the side effect of unwanted mutations, which could possibly cause more problems than there were in the first place. This was the case with earlier gene editing technology, but not with the new CRISPR. As of july 2017, there were already 20 clinical trials in people underway, and they found very few unwanted changes; some teams have even made a few changes to the machine to reduce these effects even more. The CRISPR is by far the most accurate and cheap technology there has ever been, and it is safe to use without worry of disastrous genetic mutations.
Another reason we should alter the human genome is because the CRISPR technology can be used to prevent many diseases that are cause genetically. By editing certain genes, scientists can lower the risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Muscular Dystrophy, congenital blindness, blood disorders like haemophilia, Huntington’s disease and cystic fibrosis. Diseases like this are a matter of life and death to some people, and if we are able to eradicate them, I see no reason why we shouldn’t. Everyday, there are parents all over the world, living in fear that every day is their children’s last because of a genetic disease. Would they be willing to edit the genes of their children so that they could be healthy?
Maybe we should edit human genes, but I also think that there should be an extent to which we do it. Gene editing technology can easily lead to eugenics, which is when people edit desirable traits into humans, for example editing a certain gene to give soldiers the ability to get by on only a few hours of sleep, or giving a baby perfect pitch. This could lead to the so called “Designer babies”, which are all super athletic, super intelligent, but all because of gene editing. We want to help the human race but we do not want to take away individuality. Each person’s traits are unique to them, and if we can edit their genes to make them healthier or to save them from dying, then sure, why not. But we should not edit genes to make superhuman or designer babies. Everyone has their own set of strengths and weaknesses, and if we are all good at everything, we would not be people; we would just be clones, each identical to the next. We should edit genes to cure diseases, but we must forbid anything beyond that.
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