The genetic edition in humans
Have you ever thought about how much genetic medicine has progressed? Genetic edition is one of the most significant advances in medicine. This consists in modifying the DNA of a cell or an organism to change its characteristics, cutting in the precise place in which the modification is to be made and extracting a sequence; or, inserting a different one in its place. Despite the great controversy that brings to the speaking of this issue, the genetic edition can improve our quality of life and is exciting, but it does not lack risks or ethical implications. Next, there will. Also, when embryos are modified, unnecessarily, they may suffer damage and then be reflected in their offspring or even designing babies to our liking implies that genetic edition generates controversies in society. Although experiments can be continued, of course not in humans, so that the treatments are reliable and can generate benefits.
"CRISPR technology is a molecular tool used to ´Editar` or ´corer` the genome of any cell" (Morán, 2015). Then this technology works as a molecular scissors capable of cutting any DNA section and thus modify or inactivate the desired gene. In this way, various diseases could be cured; However, certain risks are presented, such as the fact that the specificity of the guide RNA cannot be total; That is, there may be the possibility of cutting another DNA segment that is not desired, and thus generate worse consequences such as the emergence of other diseases. Hence, at the time of undergoing this technique of genetic manipulation, scientists in charge have the obligation to inform people about the irrigation that can be generated, in this way they would be fulfilling their work and acting according to ethical principles Taxes by society.
On the other hand, genetic edition gives us the possibility of modifying human embryos. We have the case of Lulu and Nana, some Chinese twin that were genetically modified. “He Jiankui revealed in Hong Kong that she had modified embryos within the frame his life.”It seems to be a tremendous possibility of life, but for the international scientific community, this experiment was unnecessary and risky for girls, since when they were modified when they were still a zygote it is possible that the changes that were made in their DNA are transmitted to His descendants, which makes us think that genetic edition has ethical implications. "All actions on embryonic/germ cells are illegal and ethically illegal" (García, s/f). Scientists are upset with the realization of this experiment because altering genes from an embryo implies changing them in each of their cells, which in turn would present modifications to their offspring. In addition, everyone agrees that this action should be done to treat diseases that do not have other treatments options, not for those that exist safer ways to prevent them.
“If we already alter genes to cure, we will not take long to be able to do it also because‘ improve ’, that is, to make changes in theoretically healthy people’. Improve the appearance of children through this technique results from a medical and vital character to a more aesthetic and ambitious. When designing a baby to our liking we are erasing our cultural identity; since, when choosing the color of eyes, hair color, etc., We promote the formation of eugenic currents or we would end up homogenizing the species.
Finally, we have the fact that genetic edition or manipulation is not entirely bad: “There are possible dark faces of genetic manipulation. It is not a matter of the methodology itself, but of less clean intentions of those who use it."That is why we must handle ourselves with utmost responsibility when thinking about using genetic editing techniques, trusting scientists’ sanity would help us not miss the opportunities that it offers us.
In short, today genetic engineering has progressed in a significant way. One of its main advances are the genetic editing techniques that, although they can help us in various fields for better our quality of life, is very dangerous when it comes to putting it into practice, because it brings with it irrigation and, in the same way ethical implications and legal, as in the case of girls who did not need to be modified because there are already techniques to prevent HIV pollution. Despite this, if we assume with sufficient responsibility everything that the genetic edition implies, we could benefit. To some extent it would help us fight various diseases.
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