00:00I'm Charles with me Sophia today we're talking about a technology that's both fascinating and a
00:13little frightening CRISPR gene editing we're on the cusp of some incredible breakthroughs
00:17but also some serious ethical questions that's right Charles we're finally seeing some real
00:22success in clinical trials for treating conditions like sickle cell disease it's a huge moment for
00:27medical science and it's giving a lot of people hope so this is no longer just a theoretical tool
00:32in a lab it's a real-life therapy that's changing people's lives exactly but the technology is moving
00:38so fast that we're now at a place where we have to start asking some very big questions the big
00:42debate now is over germline editing using CRISPR on a human embryo to change the genetic code of
00:47future generations that's a huge step I have a lot of limited knowledge in this area but from a purely
00:53moral standpoint it feels like we're playing God is it really our place to decide what the genetic
01:00code of our children should be you're bringing up a critical point Charles and a lot of bioethicists
01:04are saying the exact same thing the fears that will move from curing disease to enhancing traits
01:10creating designer babies who are smarter taller or more athletic and that's a very slippery slope
01:15where do you draw the line it's a huge gray area the FDA is proceeding with extreme caution and there
01:21are a lot of international guidelines being debated right now to prevent a race for human
01:25enhancement and it's not just a medical question it's a social one will this technology only be
01:31available to the wealthy that's the other big concern we could create a society where there's a
01:35genetic divide between the rich and the poor it's a dystopian vision but it's one we have to take
01:39seriously and so the technology is moving so fast but our ethics and our laws are moving so
01:45slowly it's a very difficult position to be in we have a technology that can cure a lot of suffering
01:49but it also has the potential to cause a lot of harm so what's the solution do we regulate it do we
01:54stop it we can't stop it the technology is out there the solution is to have a robust public
01:59conversation about it we have to decide as a society what we want our future to look like so
02:04the future of our species is in our hands that's a heavy thought it is but it's also an exciting one
02:09it's an opportunity to create a better future for ourselves and for generations to come so thank you
02:15for watching my pleasure until next time
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