Balancing Progress and Ethics: The Dilemma of Embryo Gene Editing

Gene selection has been a recurring practice for humans. Whether that is through the selective breeding of pets or plants, humans have used it to their advantage. However, embryo gene modification, otherwise known as “Designer Babies”, often raises moral debates and ethical arguments. This practice has been around for multiple decades, however a recent breakthrough has been made in the field. Using CRISPR, the alteration of an embryo’s genes can be done in a few weeks and for thousands of dollars, instead of the millions and years of waiting using the previous technology. Ultimately, embryo…