News
The US Say No To Embryo Modification
Media around the world reported recently that the first embryos had been modified in China.
Dr Francis Collins, US National Institutes of Health director, declared that "The concept of altering the human germ line in embryos for clinical purposes has been debated over many years from many different perspectives, and has been viewed almost universally as a line that should not be crossed.
"Advances in technology have given us an elegant new way of carrying out genome editing, but the strong arguments against engaging in this activity remain. These include the serious and unquantifiable safety issues, ethical issues presented by altering the germ line in a way that affects the next generation without their consent, and a current lack of compelling medical applications."
There have been repeated calls for a worldwide freeze on such research while society as a whole decides what should be allowed.
Meanwhile the US National Institutes of Health has made its position clear - that no such research should take place.
Dr Francis Collins, US National Institutes of Health director, declared that "The concept of altering the human germ line in embryos for clinical purposes has been debated over many years from many different perspectives, and has been viewed almost universally as a line that should not be crossed.
"Advances in technology have given us an elegant new way of carrying out genome editing, but the strong arguments against engaging in this activity remain. These include the serious and unquantifiable safety issues, ethical issues presented by altering the germ line in a way that affects the next generation without their consent, and a current lack of compelling medical applications."
There have been repeated calls for a worldwide freeze on such research while society as a whole decides what should be allowed.
Meanwhile the US National Institutes of Health has made its position clear - that no such research should take place.