What should be our community’s Responsibility?| Biomed Grid

Nearly everyone in the various fields of Bio Medical research is aware of emerging gene editing tools developed round the CRISPR-Cap9 system. What seems less clear, is now fully involved in the discussions of the associated ethical and societal issues is this research community. This is needed not just in the education of our students and other mentored, but with the general public. The importance of this is readily seen in the diversity of published opinions on both the utility of and implications of these new gene editing tools. For example, in the book “GMO Sapiens” by Paul Knoepfler and with Nature's [1] headlines: “Russian biologist plans more CRISPR-edited babies” scary views are being presented. In April 2019 the ScienceDaily news section [2] announced that Cornell University scientists used for the first time in human cells a new type of gene CRISPR system, which can erase large stretches of DNA, thus expanding the potential of gene editing. Recently the John Hopkins school of medicine Public Health magazine, featured a broader based forum discussion: “Should CRISPR be used to edit human genes to treat genetic diseases?” [3]. So, what does all of this suggest about our need, as biomedical researches, to be involved in discussions of the associated ethical and societal issues. First of all, there is a general lack of understand of some important facts. These include some basic genetic knowledge: such as the fundamental distinction between somatic and germ line cells; the long history of genome modification via domestications; and the degree of the complexity of multi gene networks and interactions. These are in addition to the fact that inherited genetic diseases fall into at least two distinct categories. In particular, there are those that arise from common single gene mutations, and those that do not. These single defective gene cases include many cancers and some lifelong disabilities, such a Sickle Cell and Cystic Fibrosis. How while the potential to improve human life in such cases with gene editing seems obvious, it is nearly as obvious, that there are still issues and the potential for misuses [4-6]