International committee says push forward with human genome editing

Abstract

Altering the genomes of human germ-line cells—eggs and sperm—that can be passed on to future generations has been considered off-limits to scientists. But technical advancements, such as the cheap and simple CRISPR gene-editing technology (see page 7), are spurring a change in the zeitgeist. On Feb. 14, a committee of scientists, doctors, and ethicists from 10 countries agreed that human germ-line genome editing may be permissible in the future. A report from the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine outlines 10 stringent conditions that should be met before groups consider editing the germ line. Those include editing only to prevent “a serious disease” and only in the “absence of reasonable alternatives.” The prospect of germ-line editing is both appealing and appalling for the same reason: its permanence. Carriers of genetic conditions such as Huntington’s disease could theoretically use genome editing to fix their offending DNA mutations