Designer Babies Of The Future

Human genome editing technology has been developing for decades now and continues to do so even with the recent breakthroughs. This technology’s most famous method being CRISPR has the potential to forever change the nature of human reproduction and the role of society and families in choosing the characteristics of future generations. This is because scientists can now map an individual’s genetic code and can make specific alterations that range of a spectrum of impact from superficial to permanent.

Scientists can do this by isolating DNA codes that an embryo carries which contain diseases, handicaps and other negative traits that parents of those potential children might want to eliminate.

It is important to note here that all forms of gene therapy should not be equated with each other as they have very different implications but also differing levels of current availability. Vox’s show explained maps this distinction on a table of uses ranging from Somatic gene therapy for non-reproductive genes being classified in the ‘medicine’ category while Germline gene enhancements are classified as a transhumanist nudge against natural ordering. Aside from the obvious technological implications in terms of growth of human knowledge on biology, this technology has serious social, political and economic consequences as well. It is precisely these ethical questions that will take centre stage as these technologies develop.

Only time will tell what the nature of future babies will be like, but it is interesting to consider how bioethical policies and governments around the world will cope with these changes.