Thread by @DrDenaGrayson

😱HOLY CRAP. A scientist in China claims to have genetically edited HEALTHY babies using #CRISPR. He Jiankui says he altered a gene in HEALTHY embryos before implanting them in the mother’s womb, with the goal of making babies resistant to HIV infection.
nytimes.com/2018/11/26/hea…

#CRISPR is a powerful gene editing tool that targets a gene to be "edited" and have its sequence changed. For several years, scientists have feared that CRISPR might be used to create "designer babies," in a new form of eugenics.😱

#crisprbabies

I can think of MULTIPLE genes that could be genetically altered to create "Super Humans" who have vastly increased strength and endurance. Forget performance enhancing drugs: if this report is true (and I have every reason to think that it is), then we've entered a whole new era.

Here's the other key issue to consider: when altering a human baby, not only this that person affected, but the ENTIRE HUMAN GENE POOL is irreversibly altered. Although this could potentially have some benefit, there are long-term consequences that NO ONE has considered.

Essentially, a single scientist has potentially done something that will affect the ENTIRE HUMAN RACE.

This is why use of #CRISPR to edit humans is ILLEGAL in the U.S. and much of Europe.

BTW, there was ZERO reason to edit this gene in these HEALTHY embryos that were otherwise perfectly healthy. The father was HIV positive, but the use of current IVF technologies makes ELIMINATES the risk of infection of a baby from the father's sperm. This is TOTALLY unethical.🤬

It is NOT known what long-term effects, if any, these twin girls will suffer, as a consequence of this rogue scientist.

Nor is it known what other genes this unethical scientist plans to edit...with PERMANENT consequences on the future of humankind.

#crisprbabies