Gene edited baby (1 Viewer)

[Optimus Prime]

Surprised there wasn't a thread yet

This a huge ethical grey area and some real science fiction stuff
======================================================================

HONG KONG (AP) — Scientists and bioethics experts reacted with shock, anger and alarm Monday to a Chinese researcher’s claim that he helped make the world’s first genetically edited babies.

He Jiankui of Southern University of Science and Technology of China said he altered the DNA of twin girls born earlier this month to try to help them resist possible future infection with the AIDS virus — a dubious goal, ethically and scientifically.

There is no independent confirmation of what He says he did, and it has not been published in a journal where other experts could review it. He revealed it Monday in Hong Kong where a gene editing conference is getting underway, and previously in exclusive interviews with The Associated Press.

Reaction to the claim was swift and harsh.

More than 100 scientists signed a petition calling for greater oversight on gene editing experiments.

The university where He is based said it will hire experts to investigate, saying the work “seriously violated academic ethics and standards.”...…………….

https://apnews.com/45ae0c2b32cc488fb4be717dbc71e95a


HONG KONG (AP) — A Chinese researcher who claims to have helped make the world’s first genetically edited babies says a second pregnancy may be underway...…….

https://apnews.com/3dcd5d7c599e4694b2f13c6ab03ef399

 

[Krodwhodat]

no gray area, it absolutely wrong. we shouldn't be playing with these things, with that said if it could save my child then I would be all in but doesn't make it right....

 

[Cage1]

When those girls grow up, they'll be more upset that they didn't edit their genes to give them Ricardo Montalbon's cleavage.

 

[Flipx99]

I really wish there had been more advances made in this area before I had kids. Lots of things about those ungrateful brats I would have changed.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

no gray area, it absolutely wrong. we shouldn't be playing with these things, with that said if it could save my child then I would be all in but doesn't make it right....

why? out of curiosity

 

[mjcouvi]

I'm all for it. Edit the hell out of genes. Go hog wild. Let's see what happens. Pull it off like a band-aid.

 

[Krodwhodat]

why? out of curiosity

I think because when you start to fight Mother Nature and natural selection you are upsetting the natural eb and flow of the earth. It’s weird how typically people who are on the support end of this are also strong believers in global warming and changing the environment when the biggest threat to the earth is over population. If we keep finding ways to live longer or to help people survive that by the course of nature shouldn’t we are creating problems that we won’t be able to solve and destroy the earth in the process. I’ll look for it but I read where the earths resources can sustain life up to about 12 billion people and with technology now they expect us to double from 8 billion to 16 billion by 2050. The earth and her resources can sustain it.

 

[SystemShock]

I think because when you start to fight Mother Nature and natural selection you are upsetting the natural eb and flow of the earth.

We are way past the upsetting point.

If we keep finding ways to live longer or to help people survive that by the course of nature shouldn’t we are creating problems that we won’t be able to solve and destroy the earth in the process.

Who sets the limit, though?
If someone is having heart attack, should we not call the paramedics?
Should they just unplug Steve Gleason?

Don't get me wrong, I do have reservations about this, mostly revolving around who controls the technology and its social, economical, and political ramifications, but strictly speaking about preventing deceases and prolonging life, there really isn't much of a practical difference between prolonging someone's life by pumping them full of medicines throughout their life, or preventing them from getting sick at the genetic level: either way, they'll live longer.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

I think because when you start to fight Mother Nature and natural selection you are upsetting the natural eb and flow of the earth.

haven't we been doing this since agriculture?

 

[mjcouvi]

haven't we been doing this since agriculture?

or since humans started making fire...

 

[mjcouvi]

the biggest threat to the earth is over population.

If humans reach a point that the Earth's resources can't sustain as many humans then there won't be as many humans, what's the big deal? I don't get the popularity of this idea that human "over-population" is a threat to the Earth.

 

[superchuck500]

Really good read here on why the medical/gene-research community is very upset about this.

Such a strong reaction is understandable, given the many puzzling and worrying details about the experiment. Even without any speculation about designer babies and Gattaca-like futures that may or may not come to pass, the details about what has already transpired are galling enough. If you wanted to create the worst possible scenario for introducing the first gene-edited babies into the world, it is difficult to imagine how you could improve on this 15-part farce.

https://www.theatlantic.com/science...ng-things-about-crispr-babies-scandal/577234/

 

[dgrant]

Really good read here on why the medical/gene-research community is very upset about this.



https://www.theatlantic.com/science...ng-things-about-crispr-babies-scandal/577234/

If anyone thought this was a good idea, they need to read this article.

 

[SaintSpyNDallas]

We shouldn't mess with gene editing IMHO. We will enter the life version of "participation trophies" where everyone wins and no one loses which causes problems on multiple levels. There will literally be "too many people to care about" so each life will lose value. Just to survive, the current restrictions on abortion would be lifted and we'd be killing children well into their first years and probably the elderly when they've become feebled by age but just won't die. We will have to decide who to kill, how many, and which ones. We will just end up trying to play the part that nature currently plays.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Six months after a Chinese scientist was widely scorned for helping to make the world’s first gene-edited babies, he remains out of public view, and new information suggests that others may be interested in pursuing the same kind of work outside the United States..........

6 months later, gene-edited babies stir new interest, debate

Six months after a Chinese scientist was widely scorned for helping to make the world's first gene-edited babies, he remains out of public view, and new information suggests that others may be interested in pursuing the same kind of work outside the United States.

apnews.com