The promise and peril of gene editing
Listen 00:48:44Guests: Jennifer Kahn and Jonathan Moreno
New techniques to make precise changes in DNA show great potential for preventing and treating the most serious inherited disease. Among the most accessible and easy-to-use is CRISPR-Cas 9, and while its development has instilled hope it has also raised fears about its possible use in altering genes in human eggs, sperm or embryos. Last week, in Washington, D.C. , hundreds of international scientists, bioethicists and health experts met to discuss the safety, research and ethical issues associated with human gene editing. We’ll explore the promise and perils with science writer JENNIFER KAHN whose New York Times Magazine article on CRISPR was published in November, and Penn bioethicist JONATHAN MORENO who attended the National Academy of Science summit last week.
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