Chinese scientist He Jiankui defends 'world's first gene-edited babies'

[Maverick]

The problem, gene therapy may correct the ailments in the person being treated with consent but like many unexplained diseases, the problem may not be seen for the next 3 generation. The consenting person may have the right to the treatment and it may work... for him but create undesirable affects 2 3 4 generations down the road, who is held liable or does it not matter? if it could be proven at all. We are opening up the abyss of the unknown! Each human is genetically different, yes we all have some genes that are common with one another but we also have unique genes that make us as individuals (besides the environment we were raised in) how do we create check and balances of the unknown?

 

[Brent S]

there are nothing more volatile than talking about politics or religion..
better for me to keep my nose out of it..

Amen

 

[tmttactical]

One of the great things about this forum, folks can actually debate without calling each other names.

 

[KateMTx]

The problem, gene therapy may correct the ailments in the person being treated with consent but like many unexplained diseases, the problem may not be seen for the next 3 generation. The consenting person may have the right to the treatment and it may work... for him but create undesirable affects 2 3 4 generations down the road, who is held liable or does it not matter? if it could be proven at all. We are opening up the abyss of the unknown! Each human is genetically different, yes we all have some genes that are common with one another but we also have unique genes that make us as individuals (besides the environment we were raised in) how do we create check and balances of the unknown?

That's why I said I approve of gene therapies that do not affect the reproductive cells (sperm/eggs). If the DNA of those cells is not affected, then it won't affect future generations, only the one on whom the therapy is performed. I do understand the reservations still, because of the new understanding of how small changes during reproduction can turn on/off certain genes. However, I think that as technologies develop we will be able to adjust this, as long as we have not altered the entire genome. This is just my perspective based on my reading and understanding of scientific literature and others are free to disagree with me and provide me with evidence to the contrary.

 

[Maverick]

Good Grief

Scared Your DNA Is Exposed? Then Share It, Scientists Suggest

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...a-is-exposed-then-share-it-scientists-suggest

 

[tmttactical]

Hide your persona DNA in a central data bank is like telling people to go naked to avoid sunburn. AND this advice is published in the Journal of Science. AND we are to believe their models on Global Warming too.

 

[TexasFreedom]

I too saw that article about scientists wanting everyone's DNA.

Of course they do. And bank robbers would like everyone's bank account numbers & PINs and social security number.

True story. A friend was raised by a stepfather. 40 years later through chance he 'found out' who his father is & his mother confirmed that. A few years ago he did the DNA test with his 'father' only to find out there is no relation, but the 'system' told him he has a 1/2 sister in Georgia! Turns out her father lived near his mother back then.

Imagine the problems this can present. Obviously errors are first. But consider the turmoil this can cause. Consider a living will that says each of his surviving children get a part of the inheritance. Consider the opportunity for fraud.

No thank you.

 

[Gazrok]

I see nothing wrong with using this technology to eliminate disease and defects in the unborn, for those who can afford it. Who wouldn't?

It won't stop there though. We'll also tinker to see if we can make them faster, stronger, smarter, etc. I fear in the end, we'll end up with a nearly sterile population many generations into the future, and without the minute random mutations that nature uses to make us all more adaptable.

But again though, the AI robots will be in control before that, and probably end up using us all as batteries ala the Matrix, so there's that. Plug me back in Morpheus.....

 

[Gazrok]

I too saw that article about scientists wanting everyone's DNA.

Of course they do. And bank robbers would like everyone's bank account numbers & PINs and social security number.

Right? Hey, here's a key to the house while you're at it.....

 

[KateMTx]

It won't stop there though. We'll also tinker to see if we can make them faster, stronger, smarter, etc. I fear in the end, we'll end up with a nearly sterile population many generations into the future, and without the minute random mutations that nature uses to make us all more adaptable.

But again though, the AI robots will be in control before that, and probably end up using us all as batteries ala the Matrix, so there's that. Plug me back in Morpheus.....

Brave New World on a whole new scale. All the humans will be genetically engineered and then grown in labs.

 

[Brent S]

Brave New World on a whole new scale. All the humans will be genetically engineered and then grown in labs.

Been a few movies on this.... keep in mind that 20,000 leagues under the sea was written a hundred years before the first submarines.

 

[DrHenley]

Been a few movies on this.... keep in mind that 20,000 leagues under the sea was written a hundred years before the first submarines.

Not to take away from all the great things Jules Verne predicted...but...

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was published in 1870.

The H L Hunley (CSA) was the first submarine to sink an enemy ship...in 1864.

 

[KateMTx]

Not to take away from all the great things Jules Verne predicted...but...

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was published in 1870.

The H L Hunley (CSA) was the first submarine to sink an enemy ship...in 1864.

And what is generally credited as the first submarine (though there were a few before it) was built during the American revolutionary war, almost 100 years before 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was published. I do think of Jules Verne as the inventor of science fiction though.

 

[DrHenley]

Verne actually studied the French submarine Plongeur (launched in 1863) at the 1867 Exposition Universelle. It inspired him to write the book. The Nautilus was, however, much more advanced than any of the then current submarines.

Verne did predict propeller driven heavier than air aircraft in a different book.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Not to take away from all the great things Jules Verne predicted...but...

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was published in 1870.

The H L Hunley (CSA) was the first submarine to sink an enemy ship...in 1864.

The remains of a prototype of this sub is in the bottom of lake Ponchatrain. A personal friend of mine discovered it and is currently the only one to know its location. The Cabildo museum in New Orleans has 2 early subs from the late 1700's.

 

[DrHenley]

The remains of a prototype of this sub is in the bottom of lake Ponchatrain. A personal friend of mine discovered it and is currently the only one to know its location. The Cabildo museum in New Orleans has 2 early subs from the late 1700's.

That is really cool Rellgar!

 

[Gazrok]

Been a few movies on this.... keep in mind that 20,000 leagues under the sea was written a hundred years before the first submarines.

It wasn't just the basic idea of the sub...but a lot of the DETAILS of this vehicle, and aircraft, even spacecraft, that Verne envisioned (and described) WAY before their time, that is completely remarkable. I still like to imagine he was an actual time traveler.

On the sub, he described a lot of detail that made it into later sub designs though, that weren't in the one he studied in France.

He also described newscasts vs. papers (when radio newscasts didn't happen until 30 years later).

He described a multi-stage rocket, with a cone shape on top with crew module, (even that it would take off from FL)....which wouldn't happen for decades. (he even described it coming back to Earth using a parachute). This, for me, is still the eeriest one of his predictions.

He described video conferencing, calling it "phonotelephote".

All kinds of weird things. He was a man well ahead of his time, and really had a penchant for envisioning the future.

I always think of it this way. If you had told me, as a kid, that years from then, I'd have a device in my pocket that could take pictures (without film), talk (with a screen even to see the other) to someone around the world, look up nearly any information, and store books, etc., watch movies, I would have thought you a madman. Yet here we are.

Dude, I remember when video games were Pong, or the Atari 2600. Now? It's just crazy.

 

[DrHenley]

Apparently the Chinese government is NOT on board with the gene editing, nor was the University the doctor worked for. So this WAS very much like The Island of Dr Moreau with a renegade scientist doing unethical research - even by Chinese standards.

China confirms the birth of gene-edited babies and vows to punish scientist He Jiankui who 'violated rules to carry out the unethical study for personal fame'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6614607/China-says-doctor-gene-edited-babies-acted-own.html

• Investigations reveal He Jiankui had acted on his own and forged review papers
• He organised and handled funding for experiment with no outside assistance
• China confirmed He gene edited human embryos and two baby girls were born
• Another woman is still carrying a gene-edited fetus, Xinhua said on Monday
• Scientist modified the DNA of twins to make them resistant to infection with HIV
• University where He worked announced his dismissal following the investigation

 

[Gazrok]

There's going to be no stopping this though. Eventually, this WILL become the norm. Eventually, it won't even be legal to have children the natural way. Luckily, it will be many decades in the future, and long after I depart this mortal coil. But it WILL happen. It's nearly a certainty.

Reference the movie Gattaca for a preview of it. (and what the result would be).

 

[Robinjopo1]

As you know, I have a Special son. I was asked with both pregnancies if I wanted prenatal testing and I said no. It wouldn't matter. His disability would not have shown on their tests anyhow. Fragile X Syndrome. You have to ask for a specific DNA test.