
Imagine a world where genetic diseases were eradicated. Huntington’s disease, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer’s, and so many more would become a quick fix instead of a death sentence. This is all possible in the near future with the CRISPR Cas-9 technology. In essence, CRISPR will be able to cut out the targeted mutated gene and insert a healthy gene. There are not many people who are opposed to this use of CRISPR, but the people who are opposed, fear the return of eugenics. Eugenics is the science of improving the human population by picking superior genes and discarding inferior genes. Many question that if the door to genetic engineering is opened, will parents take advantage of this technology and use it to advance their children’s genes? (About Eugenics & Human Biotechnology). But what many people don’t know is how much harder it is to genetically alter traits like intelligence or personality because of the complex interaction between different genes, as well as the interaction of genes with the individual’s environment. These interactions make these traits much more complex than the genetic disorders that lie on only one genetic sequence. The complexity of these traits decrease the likelihood of anyone being able to create a “designer baby” (Brueck). This being said, genetic engineering should continue to be perfected to advance its medical uses and for the beneficial development of a genetic disease free world. 

Before gene editing, treatment of human diseases was focused on helping symptoms and suffering rather than fixing the underlying process. But now scientists are working on the process of genetic engineering, and there are a lot of accomplishments that correspond with the hard work done by these dedicated scientists during this time. These new achievements can all be accredited to “the explosion of knowledge of physical and chemical life” which “has aided the discovery of genetic errors and diseases” (Encyclopedia of Genetics). This knowledge lead to the determination of the entire nucleotide sequence of all three billion plus bases of DNA within the nucleus of a human cell, also known as the Human Genome Project (Genetics 171). One of the big breakthroughs that followed the Human Genome Project was the production of protein based drugs produced in bacteria using recombinant DNA technology. How this works is the targeted protein is cloned and then transferred into a bacteria cell where it is used to treat many different disorders. This technology created insulin for people with type 1 diabetes, factor VIII to promote blood clotting in hemophiliacs, tissue plasminogen activator to dissolve blood clots in stroke and heart attack victims, renin inhibitors to decrease blood pressure, fertility hormones to treat infertility, and epidermal growth factor to increase the healing rate in burn victims (Salem Health Genetics.) But what researchers found was that it is much harder to modify human cells than it is to modify bacteria cells. So when it comes to genetic diseases, these drugs can only be used to treat the symptoms. In order to cure these diseases, the protein from the drug would have to be inserted into a human body cell. Ideally this would be accomplished by removing the effected gene from the bone marrow and putting it through CRISPR, where it would be read and the targeted genome sequence would be fixed. Before CRISPR technology is perfected and can be implemented, the only way for someone to receive healthy cells is through a bone marrow transplant. Bone marrow transplants are extremely risky; the patient on the receiving end of the marrow has to first have their immune system wiped out which is dangerous and deadly on its own. Then after the transplant, they run the risk of graft versus host. Graft versus host is when the bone marrow starts to attack the recipient. There is no way to prevent or stop this and since the patient has no immune system, the bone marrow that was supposed to save them will ultimately kill them (Cancer Treatment Centers of America). By fixing the gene of the effected person and putting it back in to their own body, complications can be avoided through the attachment of the gene to the traditional bone marrow transplant. This would turn people into their own donor and eliminate the risks while guaranteeing a perfect match every time. All of these scientific advancements have been accomplished through gene editing and the process has not been perfected yet, leaving room for developments that can eradicate genetic disorders completely. 

The science behind human genome editing, in its simplest context, is to cut out the targeted bad gene and replace it with a healthy one. This is done with the CRISPR Cas-9, CRISPR reads the genetic code and the cas-9 protein guides the RNA to the targeted gene on the genetic sequence by base pairing rules (Mali). The RNA is then turned into healthy DNA and therefore eliminates the disease from the genetic code. There are two different types of cells in the human body: somatic cells, which are body cells, and germline cells, which are sex cells. The germline cells are the cells that aid reproduction and if these cells were to be edited, the edited genes would be passed down to all future generations. What this means is that if something goes wrong and there is an error in the sequence CRISPR edited, this mutation cannot be reversed (Kahn, TED). But when somatic cells are edited, they can only effect the person whom which they belong to. This would make the process safer but temporary. Many methods pertaining to gene editing have been tried and failed, but CRISPR is a new and improved technology. It is faster, easier, and safer than many other methods used (Comfort). CRISPR has not reached its potential, as Nathaniel Comfort from Bioethics wrote, “CRISPR is turning out to be an extraordinarily versatile technique, applicable to many fields of biomedical research… gene editing has the marks of a genuine watershed moment in biotechnology” (Comfort.) This technology has the ability to change the world as we know it. How could anyone deny the possibility of a world where people of all ages can live a fuller and longer life rather than growing up knowing they are going to die from an irreversible genetic error?

As promising as this technology is, there are complications that are holing this progression back and the major issue that human genome editing is facing is the precision needed for it to be successful. Every gene plays a part in making you who you are. Some traits are connected to one genetic sequence while more complex traits are the result of genes interacting with other genes. If the wrong gene was targeted, this could lead to unknown and potentially dangerous consequences. Genetic engineering poses many questions that do not have answers yet, causing people to fear the unknown. This unknown stems from the fact that there is no way for scientists to accurately predict what could happen if CRISPR targeted the wrong gene. (Crystal). The fear of the unknown also lies in the possibility of eugenics. Antonio Regalado touched on the idea that if this door to eugenics is opened, it can lead to a “dystopia of super-people and designer babies for those who can afford it.” (Regalado).  Eugenics is a slippery slope, and if we start to slide, it will be difficult to stop. Another issue stemming from the principles of eugenics is the idea that people with incurable disorders want a cure. Many people with disorders like autism and down-syndrome do not see their disease as an impairment or something that holds them back, they see it as a part of who they are. “It’s important that we not continue down the path of mistakenly marking genetic traits as diseases” (Wesley.) If we begin to label people’s traits as disorders it will lead to the loss of diversity within a society that has always prided themselves on being a melting pot. This could escalate the stigma attached to people with disabilities as well as it would turn the idea of normal into a social standard. This means that anyone with a disorder that could be cured through gene therapy should use it and those who refuse would be looked down upon and ostracized. Even though there are many people who are comfortable with living with their disease, there are still many people all over the world, living with their impending death, who would jump at a chance for a different life, or at least the chance at a fuller life. 

While it is easy to get lost in all the possibilities of genetic engineering being used for the wrong reasons, all the ways it can help our society outweigh the risks. It is much harder to edit germline cells than it is to edit somatic cells. This makes it less likely for genetic editing to cause a mutation and if a mistake did occur while editing a somatic cell and a mutation formed that mutation would not be passed on through the generations. The likelihood for genetic engineering to be used to enhance characteristics, like intelligence, personality, height or strength, is very low because most of the traits people will be looking to enhance are very complex and have interactions between many different genes. These interactions do not allow CRISPR to get an accurate read on which genes are interacting making it very difficult to pin point which genes are going to be edited. Not only do these genes interact with each other, but they interact with the environment. The interaction between nature and nurture are the two key elements that make us who we are. It is why we are all so unique and different from one another. The environment you grow up in will influence which genes will be expressed and in how those genes will be expressed, because of this it would take way too long to map out a person’s specific genetic code and track which genes are interacting to produce these certain characteristics. As CRISPR is perfected, the chance of error is going to decrease dramatically and because of how cheap it is, it will be available to help many people all over the world. If we stop the development of CRISPR we will be denying the world of this important scientific breakthrough and allowing people all over the world to continue to suffer and die from diseases that can be prevented. By continuing to develop and perfect CRISPR, it can lead to the irradiation of genetic diseases. Hillary Bruek explains how CRISPR will be able to cut and paste certain genes, and yes it is that simple. “There's lots of room for error in the human body. Mistakes, imperfections and genetic problems can pop up even before birth. Now, snipping away some of those problems is quickly becoming a scientific possibility” (Bruek). Science is improving faster than many people expected, and the idea of being able to successfully change someone’s genetic sequence to cure them of a genetic disease is something no one thought would ever be in the near future, but it is here now and the world needs to be prepared. Science is evolving faster than the regulations that keep it in check as well. This is why there are very few rules or regulations that are being implemented to keep CRISPR in check and make sure it cannot be used to enhance characteristics or change the DNA of people who do not wish to be cured. People need to remember to look at all the good genome editing will be able to do, for instance, genetic engineering can be used to fix genetic errors, change the effectiveness of vaccines, improve cancer treatments, cure viral infections, improve stem cell research, and even change how the body responds to injury (Genetics). All of these improvements will change people’s lives, life expectancy, and the overall health of our world as a whole. Friedmann, one of the authors in the Encyclopedia of Genetics, wrote about the future of genetic engineering and how it will impact the lives of people all over the world. He wrote, 

“within the coming years, patients will survive who would have died without genetic  intervention, suffering will be eased that could not have been ameliorated by traditional means, and quality of life will improve for many people because of the power of genetic modification… it is clear that medicine is on the verge of being able finally to deliver truly definitive therapy for so many diseases that have been otherwise intractable scourges since the beginning of medical history. It is a truly remarkable time for medicine” (Encyclopedia of Genetics 818). 

What Friedmann is describing is the power of human genome editing and why we must continue to improve it so one day it can change our lives and the way in which we live them.

The quote above symbolizes everything that genetic engineering in human genetics stands for, and everything I want my readers to understand after reading my research. So many incurable and terminal diseases will be eradicated, changing the world as we know it. With CRISPR Cas-9 technology this is all possible. How could we continue to live our lives where people die every day when we know there is a life within our reach that holds the cure to these diseases. Scientists have been working long and hard on making gene therapy possible and it would be inhumane to allow this technology to go to waste. Although there are risks and many people hold opposing views to the use of genetic engineering, a lot of their fears are not probable. For example, it is extremely unlikely that genetic engineering will be capable of enhancing characteristics. It is also unlikely that the scientific community would allow gene editing to be used on people who do not want it. With these fears out of the way, it is easy to see all of the good human genome editing could do. But it is important that this technology not be take advantage of, it must not be rushed into practice. The scientific community must proceed with caution. That being said it is ethical for genetic engineering to be used to continue making improvements to the quality of life of people all over the world.
