Gene editing opens new possibilities

Newspapers around the world were full of praise for the successful embryo editing in the United States. But media were also swift to point out the hazards of genetic engineering and called for responsible action.

The Guardian said the news that a team of scientists have corrected a genetic defect in single-cell embryos is tremendous. “In the short term it affirms the revolutionary principles of the gene editing technique known as Crispr – or, formally, Crispr-Cas9. In the medium term it holds out the prospect – if the law changes – of eliminating some single-gene defects from entire families, since embryos treated in this way will no longer transmit the defective form of the gene. In the long term, the prospects for widespread genetic manipulation of humans are chilling as well as exhilarating,” the paper said in an editorial.

“The danger with Crispr is that it will lead to hubristic and irresponsible attempts to make an altogether better human being. Crispr itself has great promise as a way to investigate some forms of infertility, and as a weapon against cancer and other scourges. Chinese researchers are already investigating its uses against seven different cancers. It would be absurd to demand that it never be used on human subjects,” the British paper added.

The Los Angeles Times likened gene editing in human embryos to the creation of GMO crops. In an editorial, the paper said: “The research offers hope that in years ahead, science could prevent many serious genetic diseases at the stage in which people are a microscopic cluster of cells in a petri dish. What’s more, because those edited genes would be carried forth into new generations, the disease might eventually be eliminated altogether.”

Stressing the need for safeguards, the paper said: “We all would love to eliminate disabling deformities, painful conditions that shorten lives or genetic mutations that predispose us to various fatal diseases. Although science has a long way to go before such miracles are achieved, research is moving fast. It’s paramount that we get human gene editing right rather than just getting it soon.”

The Hindustan Times felt that gene-edited humans are probably only a generation away and urged India to take the lead in starting an international discussion about access to gene editing technology. The New Delhi-based paper said: “The medical benefits of such technology are obvious. Over 30,000 single and multiple gene disorders could be eliminated forever. Many diseases like diabetes and cancer which are partly genetic in background would be easier to prevent. But this only scratches the surface. The human genome is the physical blueprint of a person and helps determine, among other things, intelligence, height, external features like skin and eye colour, and possibly longevity.”

The paper’s editorial said: “India is not at the forefront of this science but it could take the lead in starting an international discussion about access to gene editing technology. Domestically, the government should consider asking Indian scientists to both develop capabilities in this field and consider how it can benefit Indians medically but in an economically inclusive manner. The genetic era is on us and requires us to look well beyond our present concerns.

The Washington Post insisted that genetic changes should be attempted only in the absence of alternatives. “Heritable changes should be attempted only when scientists are convinced that specific genes cause or strongly predispose people to getting a serious disease or a condition, and when they know what normal genetic code should look like. They should only intervene when there are no reasonable alternatives available to families, and when real-world evidence shows that the benefits outweigh the risks,” the paper said in an editorial, adding that the goal should be to stop crippling diseases, not to build designer babies.