09/19/2019
“Velvet Eugenics”
Human Flourishing in an Age of Gene Editing is a new collection of essays, edited by Erik Parens and Josephine Johnson. In the introduction, the editors explain they are concerned with “nonphysical harms” of human gene editing. That is, these harms would not affect bodily systems, but harm “people’s psyches…[their] experiences of being persons,” and …
09/12/2019
Two developments
A new effort at “somatic” gene editing in China is reported this week. The key summary: “As the researchers report in the New England Journal of Medicine, they transplanted [blood stem] cells that had undergone CRISPR-based editing [of a gene that encodes for a receptor, or “docking station”] into a patient with HIV and acute lymphoblastic …
Last week, I discussed efforts by a US/UK commission formed to recommend a framework for regulating and monitoring heritable human gene editing. This commission has called for “expert evidence” to assist them in the task “to develop a framework for considering technical, scientific, medical, regulatory, and ethical requirements for human germline genome editing, should society …
Continue reading "Heritable genome editing: a too-short list of 12 questions"
08/30/2019
Much going on about heritable genome editing
The first meeting of the International Commission on the Clinical Use of Human Germline Genome Editing was held in Washington, DC on August 13. This is a US/UK commission convened by the UK Royal Society, the US National Academy of Medicine, and the US National Academy of the Sciences. Space for in-person attendance at these … Continue reading "Much going on about heritable genome editing"
08/30/2019
Much going on about heritable genome editing
The first meeting of the International Commission on the Clinical Use of Human Germline Genome Editing was held in Washington, DC on August 13. This is a US/UK commission convened by the UK Royal Society, the US National Academy of Medicine, and the US National Academy of the Sciences. Space for in-person attendance at these … Continue reading "Much going on about heritable genome editing"
This week’s New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) carries an opinion piece (subscription required) pressing the concern that human-caused climate change should prompt a concerted effort to develop new methods of contraception and increase the ready availability of all forms of contraception worldwide. About 222 million women in the lowest-income countries need family planning services, …
Continue reading "Contraception, Climate, and Population Control"
07/19/2019
“Safe” gene editing
The New England Journal of Medicine carries a brief article about “Controlling CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing” (subscription required). The upshot: RNA used as a medicine, as in the case of “CRISPR” to edit genes, can hang around well after administration, and alter genes other than the ones intended to be altered. These “off-target” effects could lead …
06/14/2019
More gene-edited babies on the way
It is reported this week that a Russian scientist plans to edit the genes of more human embryos intending to bring gene-edited babies to birth. As with the case in China last year, the intent is to edit a gene called CCR5 that is responsible for a receptor that facilitates initiation of HIV infection. The …
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