Surveys show that most people already support genome editing, as long as it’s directed at intractable diseases and not at the creation of genetically enhanced “designer babies.” Scientists and policymakers stand a better chance of preserving that good will, especially in the face of the He baby scandal, if they give the concerns that do arise a fair hearing. Social media offers an unprecedented platform for doing just that. Crispr’s proponents should start by using that platform to clarify the following:
Scientists are nowhere near being able to make “designer babies.” They have barely figured out the genetic determinants of height; there’s no telling how long it will take them to understand more complex traits, like intelligence, beauty and athleticism. What they areclose to doing is using tools like Crispr to repair faulty genes that cause serious diseases. Clinical trials are already underway for hemophilia and sickle cell disease. And these trials involve editing DNA in adult study participants, not in sperm, eggs or embryos; so the results, good or bad, can’t be passed on to offspring.
Use existing levers of control.Before they try to enact a moratorium, concerned parties should remember that there are already several checks and balances in place outside China to thwart scientists like Dr. He.
The bluntest of these tools — legal prohibition — is already being used in the United States, where doctors and scientists are barred from editing human embryos. While such stringent policies may help avoid the muddiness that led to the He scandal, they have a clear downside: They also block the use of less questionable technology. For some desperate families, mitochondrial gene transfer offers the only hope for preventing horrific diseases. But because federal regulators have grouped it with other forms of embryo editing, it’s prohibited in the United States.
There are better, subtler ways to move forward. Lawmakers, regulatory agencies, patent holders, ethics review boards, funding foundations and professional journals all hold sway over how a technology is developed and used. By working together to limit what is funded, permitted or published, they might create a dynamic and flexible process for safeguarding the public while still allowing promising work to progress. It may be impossible to prevent truly rogue actors, but it is possible to slow them down without stopping everyone else.