ETHICS - Positives
The debate over whether or not using CRISPR technology on human embryos is prominant and ongoing within the scientific community. Although there are undeniable benefits to contorlling the makeup of the human body, invasive technology such as CRISPR-Cas9 has raised some red flags in regards to the moral justification of its use.
GENE THERAPY -- FIGHTING DISEASES
Gene Editing (CRISPR) has allowed for advancements in gene therapy, which is a method of treating or preventing illnesses that involves the use of genes, instead of drugs and surgery.
Gene editing tools have the potential to help treat diseases with a genomic basis, such as cystic fibrosis and diabetes. There are two different categories of gene therapies: germline therapy and somatic therapy. Germline therapies change DNA in reproductive cells (like sperm and eggs). These changes to the DNA of reproductive cells are passed down from generation to generation (What is Genome). Somatic therapies, on the other hand, target non-reproductive cells, and changes made in these cells affect only the person who receives the gene therapy (What is Genome).
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CRISPR specifically can be used in genome therapy. Take Sickle Cell Disease, for example. People who have two copies of the “GTGCACCTGACTCCTGTG” version (‘allele’) of the gene (found in a beta chain or hemoglobin protein) will develop sickle-cell disease. CRISPR allows scientists to replace the 24 nucleotide base sequence with GTGCACCTGACTCCTGAG (T replaced with A), which is the usual version of the gene, and give people normal blood to avoid the disease.
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CRISPR will allow scientists to edit live cells, target and study particular DNA sequences, and switch genes on and off, for every single type of cell in the human body. It can help eradicate diseases like herpes completely, and could even help with cancer: scientists can target multiplying cells and help the immune system fight off the mutated cells.
CRISPR's Use in Other Disciplines
CRISPR-Cas9 biotechnology is now extensively applied across multiple disciplines, including basic sciences, crop development, fuel generation, and drug development, in addition to human genome engineering. It may even allow scientists to create larger, faster growing animals for the food industry. The multitude of industries that CRISPR technology can help and is currently helping, is enough for some to say that the benefits of this technology outweigh its cons. The precision with which CRISPR technology works, and yet the broad spectrum of industries it can be applied to and it is beneficial to, pushes for it to be explored further in terms of healthcare.