May 28, 2015
Scientists Curbing the Ethical Use of Science
Introduction
Marsha Fenner/Innovative Genomics Initiative
The inventor of a genome-editing technique that might eventually be used to alter future generations wants a moratorium on its use in research on humans. But Chinese scientists have already tried it, albeit unsuccessfully, on human embryos to cure a blood disorder.
Concerned about how the technique might be applied, the National Academies of Sciences and Medicine has called for an international meeting to discuss research and applications.
But can a discovery be reined in once the basic science has been published? Can researchers control the ethical use or ramifications of their breakthroughs?