CRISPR used to remove extra chromosomes in Down syndrome and restore cell function
CRISPR used to remove extra chromosomes in Down syndrome and restore cell function
Japanese researchers have successfully eliminated the extra chromosome responsible for Down syndrome using CRISPR gene editing.
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I have mixed feelings about this. At first it seems great, but the line between “genetic defect” and eugenics can get very blurry.
There are many people with what some would consider a “defect” to be fixed that live incredibly fulfilling lives and bring an irreplaceable uniqueness to the world.
EDIT: I guess this wasn’t clear from my original comment, but I’m not arguing against this particular use case. I understand very well the challenges that down’s presents to both the person and their caretakers. I’m saying that I’m weary about the precedent this can set while there is no legal boundary between curing crippling diseases and simply changing undesirable (in the parents’ subjective view) traits.
This is such a bad take. Eugenics and gene therapy are completely different things. It's like the difference between developing a cure for HIV vs adopting a policy that people with HIV be killed. Eugenics is an evil pseudoscience from the 19th century, do not conflate it with actual genetics research that can improve the human condition.
There are many people with what some would consider a “defect” to be fixed that live incredibly fulfilling lives and bring an irreplaceable uniqueness to the world.
Sure but the same thing can be said of any illness. There are wonderful anxiety-riddled or depressed people in the world. Should we prevent them from getting anti-depressants because it would make them less unique?
I’m well aware of the difference.
First of all, HIV doesn’t make sense as an example because that’s a virus, not genetic.
I’m also not debating the scientific legitimacy of CRISPR. It’s obviously much more valid as a science than the eugenics of the past.
Sure but the same thing can be said of any illness.
No, it can’t. I’m not even talking about illnesses. There are plenty of examples of genetic diversity that and not intrinsically bad, but many would prefer to change because of stigma. What about sex? Height? ADHD? Skin/hair color? All of these could arguably make someone’s life more challenging. But we should make our society more accepting of this diversity, not altering our genes to remove it. That is eugenics. Period.
There are wonderful anxiety-riddled or depressed people in the world. Should we prevent them from getting anti-depressants because it would make them less unique?
This argument makes no sense. You’re comparing informed consent medication with editing an embryo’s DNA? Also, anxiety and depression, as an example, do have genetic predispositions, but are mostly triggered by environmental factors. Which again, brings us back to fixing our society, not our genes.
HIV
I said it's like HIV, as an analogy. I intentionally chose something not genetic.
What about sex? Height? ADHD? Skin/hair color?
All of these things are mutable already (or treatable, in the case of ADHD). But "diversity" and a serious disorder like Down Syndrome are completely different things. Why should we embrace Down Syndrome when we could eradicate it? If you really believe that Down Syndrome is a good thing, then why not invent whole new disorders for the sake of adding diversity?
Why should we embrace Down Syndrome when we could eradicate it?
I’m not saying that either. Check out the edit on my original post.
people with downs syndrome have a significantly shorter lifespan compared to the rest of society. these people would still be who they are even after treatment but would have the potential to live longer healthier lives.
get your philosophical moralistic bullshit out of here. if you were so concerned about this before why not complain about how you aren't the same physical being after 10 years due to all your cells being in a constant state of death and rebirth.
Yeah, I’m not arguing against curing Down’s syndrome. I updated my post to be clearer.
However your “Ship of Theseus” argument makes no sense and is completely irrelevant.
something that i'm also very worried about is humans making permanent genetic changes to people, that are hereditary, but have some sort of unexpected, poorly understood, downside. like, a modification might cure deafness, but cause a different, seemingly unrelated, defect in the process.