The Future of Gene-Editing
Ethical, Legal, & Social Issues
Ethical Issues
A major concern of CRISPR is the possibility of edits in the wrong place; especially since CRISPR is considered a possibility to genome editing embryos. However, CRISPR also has the potential as a genome editing technology, to resolve genetic disorders that are guaranteed when both parents are homozygous for polygenetic disorders. A fear results from if CRISPR is approved as safe and effective that it would be used for enhancement purposes instead of curing genetic diseases. Another major concern is if CRISPR would only be available to the rich and if it there would be a new classification of individuals by the quality of their genome. Federal funds are not permitted for the creation or destruction of embryos, nor can they fund the gene editing of human embryos. However, many research groups believe that gene editing embryos is necessary for addressing scientific questions about the human biology. Although the United States has contained the research upon embryos in their country, other counties have allowed the gene editing of non-viable embryos (those who do not result in life), while other countries have even went as far as viable embryos.
Social Issues
Gene editing forms a lot of questions about the social order that would result from the ability to modify someone. Would CRISPR create a society were everyone was smart, good looking, and athletic? Or would people be driven apart by the discrimination of how some people aren't available to afford a new innovative technology that could change everything for the future generations to come. If we were to go with the hypothetical scenario of a perfect society, what would happen when everyone was too equal, meaning where would diversity come from when everyone has decided upon the perfect being. In the second scenario, what if CRISPR wasn't made available to the average human? Would there be a new social hierarchy and class of better humans that would naturally rule and dominate any field better than the people who weren't able to afford the procedure?
Legal Issues
Another worry for the future of genome editing is the consent of the embryo as the parents are making all of the decisions of a future generation's life without consulting them. However, arguments have been made that the life of the children are already predestined without their consultation of with their parents in normal childbirth. Within these arguments, countries have already decided on how they would use genetic modifications within a human embryo. Within the majority of European countries, they have decided upon a bad through their legislation, while the U.S. has made it restrictive, making it harder for CRISPR to progress within embryos as countries with the most scientific breakthroughs are being restricted or even banned from testing it on embryos.
