Gene editing of humans

[DrZoidberg]

Why the fuck are we just giving away all these potential breakthroughs to China? Why is it illegal to do genetic experimentation on human fetuses? The enormous potential for humanity of these treatments is of course massive. Who cares about the human rights of a couple of cells in a petrie dish? Where's the ethical dilemma?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-46368731

Soon we'll be in a position where the Chinese government will own all the rights to all the human gene editing tools and the rest of humanity will be genuflecting in front of their dictatorship in order to get a taste. Who ever thought that was a good idea?

 

[barbos]

Why the fuck are we just giving away all these potential breakthroughs to China? Why is it illegal to do genetic experimentation on human fetuses? The enormous potential for humanity of these treatments is of course massive. Who cares about the human rights of a couple of cells in a petrie dish? Where's the ethical dilemma?

Chinese have passed petrie dish stage, first 2 GMC (Genetically Modified Chinese) were born already
Ethical dilemma with GMC is what if it works and they became Super-Chinese? I don't think you want that

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-46368731

Soon we'll be in a position where the Chinese government will own all the rights to all the human gene editing tools and the rest of humanity will be genuflecting in front of their dictatorship in order to get a taste. Who ever thought that was a good idea?

I doubt anyone would care about ownership rights. It's more about tech secrets

 

[Toni]

For societies which value human life and do not consider individuals to be disposable, the concerns are not dissimilar to the concerns with the Nazi belief in and desire to create a superior race.

Unintended consequences also spring to mind. I'm thinking primarily of biological consequences, but only a fool does not see how these could ripple throughout society.

Then, there is the entire question of whether or not we believe that this person has done what he says he has done. It would hardly be the first time that someone has lied about data or accomplishment, nor the first time that someone in China has done so.

As far as whether or not China would own the rights to all the technology, I hardly see why this is a concern. China does not respect the intellectual property of others and there is no reason to respect any 'intellectual property' created in China.

Gene editing is known in Western countries.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

It is a tough subject. On the one hand, the technology is clearly happening and it has the potential to do a lot of good, in terms of disease resistance, health, intelligence and all the rest. On the other hand, it's a new technology and mistakes and errors are definitely going to happen while trying to figure out how to implement it and when you get poor results, that's a human being whom you've fucked up.

 

[Keith&Co.]

It is a tough subject. On the one hand, the technology is clearly happening and it has the potential to do a lot of good, in terms of disease resistance, health, intelligence and all the rest. On the other hand, it's a new technology and mistakes and errors are definitely going to happen while trying to figure out how to implement it and when you get poor results, that's a human being whom you've fucked up.

But even with that, you look at someone in a wheelchair and wish Science could do better, and you look at Trump and wonder if Science could do worse.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

But even with that, you look at someone in a wheelchair and wish Science could do better, and you look at Trump and wonder if Science could do worse.

Ya, but what if you're a technology company and a misplaced decimal point on the part of one of your scientists inadvertently created Donald Trump? Think of the liability costs.

 

[untermensche]

But even with that, you look at someone in a wheelchair and wish Science could do better, and you look at Trump and wonder if Science could do worse.

Ya, but what if you're a technology company and a misplaced decimal point on the part of one of your scientists inadvertently created Donald Trump? Think of the liability costs.

Trump is exactly what these people would try to create.

There is no telling what direction a mind will take.

One twin may be kind and the other cruel.

At birth all a mind has is potential.

What direction it takes depends on experience and what used to be called "character". The willed decisions made based on experience.

Trump is a small child in the body of a bald fat old man. He has never had to grow up.

And has never chosen to.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Trump is exactly what these people would try to create.

...

Trump is a small child in the body of a bald fat old man.

I don't know if you fully understand what the market for gene editing will be.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Dude, the Vorlons are going to mess our shit up if we go too far.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Dude, the Vorlons are going to mess our shit up if we go too far.

Fuck the Vorlons. When we trigger the gene which allows us to shoot lasers out of our eyes, they'll go scampering back to the Hydrolene-3 cluster like the cowards they are.

 

[untermensche]

Trump is exactly what these people would try to create.

...

Trump is a small child in the body of a bald fat old man.

I don't know if you fully understand what the market for gene editing will be.

How's that?

 

[Tom Sawyer]

:sigh:

 

[untermensche]

:sigh:

The market will be many people.

My point is they will not be able to control outcomes.

That can't be found in the genes.

 

[ZiprHead]

Dude, the Vorlons are going to mess our shit up if we go too far.

Fuck the Vorlons. When we trigger the gene which allows us to shoot lasers out of our eyes, they'll go scampering back to the Hydrolene-3 cluster like the cowards they are.

What if I want to BE a Vorlon? Will this technology make that possible?

 

[Toni]

It is a tough subject. On the one hand, the technology is clearly happening and it has the potential to do a lot of good, in terms of disease resistance, health, intelligence and all the rest. On the other hand, it's a new technology and mistakes and errors are definitely going to happen while trying to figure out how to implement it and when you get poor results, that's a human being whom you've fucked up.

But even with that, you look at someone in a wheelchair and wish Science could do better, and you look at Trump and wonder if Science could do worse.

Science is making huge progress.

Ethics are not keeping pace.

 

[untermensche]

It is a tough subject. On the one hand, the technology is clearly happening and it has the potential to do a lot of good, in terms of disease resistance, health, intelligence and all the rest. On the other hand, it's a new technology and mistakes and errors are definitely going to happen while trying to figure out how to implement it and when you get poor results, that's a human being whom you've fucked up.

But even with that, you look at someone in a wheelchair and wish Science could do better, and you look at Trump and wonder if Science could do worse.

Science is making huge progress.

Ethics are not keeping pace.

Ethics is just fine.

Ethics is very clear about lying.

Some people do not care about ethics.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Dude, the Vorlons are going to mess our shit up if we go too far.

Fuck the Vorlons. When we trigger the gene which allows us to shoot lasers out of our eyes, they'll go scampering back to the Hydrolene-3 cluster like the cowards they are.

What if I want to BE a Vorlon? Will this technology make that possible?

Hey, if you want to self-identify as a Vorlon, don't feel the need to wait for the approval of a bunch of old white men in lab coats in order to express yourself. YOU are the one who makes things possible for yourself.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Getting back to a serious discussion of the issue, how would liability work in regards to genetically modified babies?

Say that a girl has her genes edited for one thing or another and then gets cancer when she's ten years old. Even if the cancer can't be directly traced back to the gene editing, the headlines of "GENETICALLY MODIFIED BABY DEVELOPS CHILDHOOD CANCER" is a business killer and a company would likely save billions with a large payout and NDA.

 

[ZiprHead]

What if I want to BE a Vorlon? Will this technology make that possible?

Hey, if you want to self-identify as a Vorlon, don't feel the need to wait for the approval of a bunch of old white men in lab coats in order to express yourself. YOU are the one who makes things possible for yourself.

I feel EMPOWERED!

 

[Toni]

Science is making huge progress.

Ethics are not keeping pace.

Ethics is just fine.

Ethics is very clear about lying.

Some people do not care about ethics.

I don’t agree that ethics is keeping up. There is disagreement about whether our ability to do a thing means that it is ok to actually do that thing. Consider the ethical dilemmas involved in various reproductive strategies. Sperm donation is relatively easy, and comes at low biological/medical/health cost to the donor. Ethics come into play more today as widespread use of genetics testing/sharing can create some conflicts: how much right does the offspring of a child created by sperm donation have to establishing a relationship with the biological father and any genetic siblings/half siblings or other genetically related family? How much right to not be contacted does the biological father have? Any of his other offspring or his parents, siblings, etc.? And then there is the fact that some unintended consequences when ethics have been violated and dozens or more siblings have been created from a single donor.

Those are the easy conundrums. It’s more complicated once you discuss egg donation because of the heightened medical risk to the donor. The risks go up with surrogacy, whether using the surrogates eggs or the mothee’s eggs.

Dispensation of unused embryos is another issue. Who controls the fate of such embryos and for how long? What happens when one parent dies? If the parents divorce or end the relationship? Can a child be created posthumously? Who decides? What if there is a sizable inheritance involved?

Who pays for expensive reproductive assistance? Should wealth be the determining factor?

There is not even consensus among the hearing compared community about cochlear implants.

I have friends who could potentially benefit from genetic solutions to their significant medical issues, some of which cause significant health issues and one who will die within a few years, best case scenario. I want there to be medical solutions and those almost certainly mean genetic solutions.

bTW, gene editing techniques exist currently in the West. If this person has actually done what he claims to have done, it opens the question of exactly why this particular edit was chosen—and what the medical implications are for other disease resistance and the functioning of the immune system. I have serious questions there.