The United Kingdom’s Francis Crick Institute was recently approved to use CRISPR-Cas 9 to edit the human genome. This is the second time that this technology has been used to edit the human genome, which is the complete set of genes or genetic material present in a cell. The genome was initially modified in China in April 2015 on non-viable embryos. Non-viable embryos are ones that would not survive if implanted.
CRISPR, is an acronym for “clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats.” Cas-9 refers to the enzyme, which is a part of this cellular scalpel. It cuts genes that follow a specific sequence. After the gene is cut out, a molecule, which is introduced at the same time, is put in place to repair the cut portion of the sequence. Currently, CRISPR-Cas9 costs significantly less now than ever before. “Genome editing started with just a few big labs putting in lots of effort, trying something 1,000 times for one or two successes,” says Hank Greely, a bioethicist at Stanford, “Now it’s something that someone with a BS and a couple thousand dollars’ worth of equipment can do. What was impractical is now almost everyday. That’s a big deal.” In the past, it has cost thousands of dollars. The time it takes to complete the genetic modifications has also decreased. Using older methods, it took months to complete the modification and several additional months to see the results. Using CRISPR methods, the genetic cuts take place within a 24-hour period, and the results are noticeable within several days. With these massive technological advancements, the possibility for designer babies is within the foreseeable future.
Genetically modifying babies is large leap for science as a whole. Due to this advancement, instead of killing embryos that coded for unfavorable traits such as cleft palate, CRISPR can just take it out, and the a plasmid with the desired trait can recode the DNA. The problem arises when it is no longer used to take out unfavorable traits, but to give desirable ones. This product has the potential to be used to code for specific eye colors, intelligence levels and athletic ability.
Designer babies hold some serious social and ethical implications. Much like the introduction of computers into society, the introduction of designer babies may follow a similar pattern. At first, there will be a few genetically modified babies available only to the rich who will be able to afford them while this remains unimaginable for everyone to have a genetically modified child. This means the top 1 percent will have an even greater advantage over the lower 99 percent. Eventually, designer babies could cause new social classes to be created. At first, the genetic modification process will most likely be available only to the wealthy; the middle and lower classes may not have access to it for many years. The implications of this new advancement are dangerous. Ethically, this is wrong due to changing what nature intended; socially, it is cruel and unusual.
Designer babies are extremely interesting. I would love to see these children introduced into society. It would be a great way to see how much is genetic and how much is based upon the environment. With all of this in mind, I feel that designer babies are not a good idea. Humans always take things way beyond a good stopping point. These designed children could make the world end up like the movie "Gattaca."
