DNA modification of human embryos "irresponsible and dangerous" – Professor



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Genetically modified babies may be allowed to be born. It is in the best interest of the child The Nuffield Council on Bioethics said in a report that the Nuffield Council on Bioethics was one of the leading ethical organizations, but called to continue research on the safety of this approach. Sputnik discussed this with Stuart A. Newman, professor of cell biology and anatomy at New York Medical College

Sputnik: What do you think of the Nuffield Council's findings and recommendations?

Stuart A. Newman: I am very troubled by this. I think it is very irresponsible of them to make this statement. I think these methods are dangerous and in fact, there is no child out there, there is basically a fertilized egg and they say that the child has an interest and that the Interest is to experiment. These experiments are very random and there is really no guarantee that the developing embryo will not be more altered than the way it started. I really do not understand the logic at all.

READ MORE: & # 39; A new type I DNA can eventually turn on & off genes & # 39; – Professor

Sputnik: I spoke with a council expert from Nuffield, one of the co-authors of the project, and his rough estimate was that we are at least 50 years away from this type of technology actually used. There must be a lot of research. There must be an investigation into how this procedure will be carried out, the long-term effects of which would probably require looking at this in other organisms, non-human organisms over several decades and several generations to see what are the effects .

In addition, I think what they say, is that there are diseases that are actually carried in a gene, cystic fibrosis for a, l & # 39; Sickle cell anemia and others too, and if they can be treated this technology should then be allowed. What kind of risks and what kind of dangers do you think this kind of research carries?

Stuart A. Newman: Well, first of all, they say that there must be a lot of experience on many other organisms but any developmental biologist , ie anyone who studies the development of embryos at the molecular level, understands that the species are very different, even in the way they handle the same gene.

So even if the genes do similar things in different species, they do not do exactly the same thing, and the scientists are always surprised and say that – we thought that this gene was doing just that, but it does it too and sometimes it does the opposite in one type of tissue or in one type of organ then it does it in another. So you really can not experiment on mice and say – okay, we're ready to do them on people, so maybe the thing is to do experiments on people . Without complications of life later

So, basically, what will they do? Genetically engineer human embryos and learn from their mistakes? And are individuals who are born with mistakes that they have introduced just to get it right so that 20 years later they can do it with confidence? I think it's unethical, and I do not understand how an ethics board can make a recommendation for doing experiments on people.

For more information, listen to this edition of Weekend Special with Professor Stuart A. Newman. ] The views and opinions expressed by Stuart A. Newman are those of the researcher and do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik

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