DocM Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 http://m.technologyreview.com/news/535846/industry-body-calls-for-gene-editing-moratorium/ Industry Body Calls for Gene-Editing Moratorium Gene-editing companies say research on altering the DNA of human reproductive cells is dangerous and unethical. Officials of a biotechnology industry group have called for a voluntary moratorium on using new DNA-editing techniques to change the genetic characteristics of human embryos in laboratory research. In an editorial published today by the journal Nature, Edward Lanphier, CEO of the biotechnology company Sangamo Biosciences, and four colleagues write that "scientists should agree not to modify the DNA of human reproductive cells" because it raises safety and ethical risks including the danger of "unpredictable effects on future generations." New gene-editing techniques, in particular one called CRISPR, have given scientists powerful and useful new ways to swap and change DNA letters inside of living cells. Recently, some scientific teams have started to study whether CRISPR would be able to correct disease genes in future generations of people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torolol Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Industry objection to...i wonder if what they really mean is that this method would nullify their potential profits from soon-to-be obsolete methods? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted March 19, 2015 Author Share Posted March 19, 2015 No, it means what they say: this needs the slow walk and consideration vs. blindly doing it just because we can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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