024 The CRISPR Conundrum: Curing Disease or Creating "Designer Babies"?

Truth N Trends

Sophia and Charles explore the latest breakthroughs in CRISPR gene editing technology. They discuss the incredible promise of curing diseases like sickle cell, but also the serious ethical and legal questions that are arising. They delve into the debate over using CRISPR to edit human embryos and what this could mean for the future of our species.

Transcript

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

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended