The End Of Human Genetic Engineering (CRISPR)

The End of Human Genetic Engineering
Scientists and researchers around the world have recently obtained the opportunity to edit human genes with a new gene editing technology known as CRISPR. With high rates of efficiency, geneticists can now genetically alter the genes of animals, insects, vegetables and last but not least, humans. Genetically modified organisms or GMO for short, is a term that is used in our society to label and identify foods that have been created and genetically modified by scientists. Foods that are genetically modified are not something that surprise or astonish the American people. However, the idea of the existence of genetically modified human beings is something that has definitely triggered the awareness of a

vast amount people around the world. The access to genetically engineer and alter human genes for the purpose of improving or strengthening their genetic makeup should not be allowed. An international ban on human genetic engineering must be enacted.
In April 2015, researchers in China performed a genetic procedure where a human embryo was successfully modified. A great surge of media attention followed due to the fact that a major ethical boundary was crossed. People are concerned that these types of experiments will bring forth the introduction of “designer babies” or, in other words, genetically modified humans. The image below depicts a newborn child marked by an electronic bar code in order to symbolize the child as having been genetically modified. The rise of media proposing the idea of a genetically modified human is definitely catching the eye of millions. Another potential fear that people have, is the possibility “that mistakes could be made, causing some new disease by accident” (Stein np). This accidental disease could then have the possibility of being inherited and passed on to future generations. If scientific research of human genetic modification continues to be performed, especially on the human germ line, the future generations that proceed us will be greatly and irreversibly changed. This is the fundamental reason why ethicists, scientists, policy makers and even the public have become aware of the serious ethical boundary that CRISPR has the ability to break in the close or distant future.
Due to the immense amount of media coverage and social awareness of this event, “a group of leading biologists called for a worldwide moratorium on the use of a new genome editing technique that would alter human DNA in a way that can be inherited” (New York Times). Scientists and ethicists around the world were also present at the meeting in order to take part in the discussion of the newly introduced technological advancement named CRISPR. Many aspects were discussed about especially on the subject of the alteration of the human germline. George Q. Daley, a stem cell expert from Boston was present at the event stating how CRISPR “raises the most fundamental of issues about how we are going to view our humanity in the future and whether we are going to take the dramatic step of modifying our own germline and in a sense take control of our genetic destiny” (New York Times).

Restrictions must be implemented in human gene-editing because CRISPR gives access to all researchers to alter and edit genes with much more efficiency than before. An international regulation towards human gene-editing must be implemented or else there will be countries who conduct experiments that will lead to scientific accidents that could have been prevented.

An example of a genetic experiment gone wrong is the case of Jesse Gelsinger, who “wanted to help others overcome the same metabolic disorder he had, so he agreed to enter a gene-therapy trial” (NCBI). Jesse Gelsinger was an eighteen year old who had a genetic disease named Ornithine transcarbamylase or OTC for short. OTC is disease that prevents the human body from breaking down and getting rid of ammonia, which can then create neurological problems. Those that obtain this disease usually die a couple of days after birth or at a very young age. However, Jesse has lived longer than most due to the fact that he had acquired partial OTC as opposed to the majority that obtained full OTC. In the year 1999, Jesse agreed to take part in a scientific trial at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was “given an infusion of corrective OTC gene encased in a dose of attenuated cold virus, a recombinant adenoviral vector” (NCBI). Unfortunately, Jesse died four days later, after having an extreme reaction within his body. Not only was the life of a boy that has already gone through lost, but a lawsuit took place which led to the restriction of performing gene therapy trials on human subjects. It Human experimentation with gene therapy was banned temporarily until a meeting took place where it was discussed how these types of experiments must be regulated more carefully. Although these researchers did not genetically modify a human embryo, an attempt to modify a human’s genes was performed and the results were extremely devastating. The case of Jesse Gelsinger was successful in portraying the possible risks of unwarranted genetic engineering and how cautious scientists have to be when modifying human genes. Fifteen years later, human genetic modification is still a topic needs to be resolved. While it is opposed by many, it is also favored by many. Since CRISPR’s emergence, “several groups of scientists around the world have called varying levels of caution on just this type of research” (Wired). Experimenting with human genes is a procedure that must evidently be regulated very carefully.
“CRISPR is about getting good ideas tested more quickly in live animals so that they can be brought to the clinic as fast as possible”(Wolf, np).

CRISPR has been experimented mostly on animal embryos except for the case of the procedure that took place in China. What people worry about the most is the fear that CRISPR will be used to modify the human germ-line since it can precisely edit genes for targeted traits “which can be passed down to future generations”(The Conversation). The idea of this occurring sparks back the idea of the eugenics movement which occurred in the early 1900’s where the idea of creating the perfect race was in motion. During this time, “the eugenics movement in the US quickly focused on eliminating negative and undesirable traits” (Nature). The Eugenics movement that was evidently a “tragic time in our country’s history” (Nature) and CRISPR is the match that has sparked up the issue of creating the perfect race once

more.
CRISPR, short for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, has vastly revolutionized genetic engineering since its emergence into the field. The image below demonstrates how since its introduction, there has been a rise in the amount of publications, patents, and funding for the new technology. TALENs, having been the most common method of genetic medication technique has dropped since CRISPRs entrance into the genetics field. The media have also displayed how CRISPR has risen in popularity due to the many convenient qualities that it possesses. According to “researchers around the world, the CRISPR-Cas9 technique is an exciting innovation because it is faster and cheaper than previous methods.”(Nanowerk). It is also easier to use as compared with the other techniques. Because of this, its use in research and experiments has increased greatly. CRISPR is becoming the gene-editing technique that is being used the most as compared to the other gene-editing technologies such as TALENs and Zinc finger nuclease. Its success in the field has also caused an increase in the interest and sponsorship towards it. Its funding has also increased and colleges across the country are experimenting with CRISPR. For example, a start-up company known as Editas Medicine, has recently presented CRISPR with an enormous amount of money in order to use the gene editing technology. The two year old company, “Editas Medicine has managed to raise the US $120m with the help of a number of investors” (Silicon Republic). The company want to use CRISPR in order to attempt to cure a retinal disease known as LCA-10 which can lead to blindness. Evidently, scientists are beginning to believe that CRISPR is the future of genetic engineering and one of the biggest innovations in science.

The temporary moratorium that is being implemented towards the use of CRISPR in relation to germ line engineering should be made permanent in order to prevent future events such as the one in China from occurring. After that event, the United States National Institute of Health or (NIH) for short, released a report reassuring that the ban that is present in the US, towards the genetic modification of human embryos is in fact, still active. The report was released by the very own director of NIH, Francis Collins where he can be seen in the image below.
Collins referenced the Dickey-Wicker Amendment which stated, ”essentially states that no appropriated funds shall be used for (1) the creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes or (2) research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded, or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death” (Kearl).

This amendment prohibited the funding towards these types of experiments, but it does not actually prohibit these experiments from occurring. The enforcement of human genetic engineering must be regulated nationwide and it should be made clear that no funds are not going into these types of

experiments.
One problem that exists in the United States in relation to genetic engineering is that is not one hundred percent prohibited in the country. The genetic alteration of human sex cells is already banned in forty countries around the world. Some of the forty countries include Australia, Brazil, Mexico and even Canada. However, the U.S. is not one of the forty countries. According to the scientific journal named Nature, “some US states do have restrictions, but rules in other states are less clear and some do not ban it at all” (Reaedon). An international law should be created to ban any form of experimentation that relates to the modification of genes in human sex cells.
It can be predicted that there will definitely be a percentage of people that will be against the prohibition on the use of gene-editing techniques because they will see this as a halt in the scientific movement. They will believe that progress will be lost in the genetics field but in reality, it would actually not. The only thing that will be restricted to scientists and researchers would be the experimentation on the human germline, which consist of modifying or altering human embryos and sperm cells. Scientists will still have the ability to execute scientific procedures on the genes of other organisms such as plants and animals. CRISPR has already been used to create modified organisms such as animals. According to Genetic Literacy Project, “the number of genetically modified animals made with this system has steadily increased. Some are very interesting and useful for science.” (GLP). CRISPR has already been used to genetically engineer petite pigs and successfully clone them as well. CRISPR is also being used in order to engineer hornless cows in order to end the pain they go through when having them cut off. Scientists are also underway in creating wheat that is resistant to disease and oranges that are enriched with even more vitamins. Evidently, a ban on the genetic experimentation of the human germline will not halt CRISPR’s immense progress that it has achieved.