Crispr/designer Babies and the Benefit They Will Have on Society Essay Example
Imagine a world free of cancer, free of birth defects, and one where people don't have to worry about miscarriages. This is a world with designer babies, and CRISPR. If used correctly, it can be made so that CRISPR/Designer Babies will have a positive impact on society as a whole because they can help cure many genetic and currently incurable diseases, it can reduce the number of birth defects, and serious disorders that people are born with, as well as preventing miscarriages or terminations due to medical concerns of the fetus or mother.
CRISPR is an immune system consisting of different Locus, or strands of RNA (RNA is a half strand of DNA) in a sequence within DNA, that developed a way of eliminating invading phage. It does this by creating a number of proteins, one specifically called Cas-9. Cas-9 searches out and makes a copy of the invading phages DNA. When Cas-9 discovers more of the same type of invading phage, it attacks the phage and makes cuts in the targets DNA. CRISPR exists in many different species varying from plants, to animals, to humans. Because humans have CRISPR within their DNA, scientists have developed a way to use it to edit certain genes within humans, and more specifically fetuses. By giving Cas-9 sample DNA, it will actively seek that DNA, and when it finds it in a fetus it cuts it. After it has been cut and destroyed, it needs to be replaced by something. Scientists replace it with a different sequence of DNA, which replaces what was previously there. All this is thanks to the autoimmune properties of CRISPR.
Firstly, CRISPR/Designer Babies will be able to cure and eradicate many diseases thought incurable. Using CRISPR, we will be able to create babies that are resistant to certain diseases, as well as remove susceptibility to hereditary conditions, such as diabetes, and even some sexually transmitted diseases. As we can see, CRISPR/Designer Babies would allow for the removal of certain diseases that are either hereditary or just thought to be incurable. This is possible because CRISPR removes certain traits or aspects of someone's DNA. What scientists would have to do in the case of diabetes for example, is fixate Cas-9 on the part of the DNA that is responsible for either not producing insulin, or insulin not being effective, and remove it. Scientists then swap it with dna allowing for the production of or proper use of insulin. CRISPR/Designer Babies could also be used to cure Cancer. All scientists would need to do is alter the parts of cancer that are responsible for the rapid growth, and depending on how far along it is, certain other negative aspects of it like organ takeover. Not only are designer babies/CRISPR able to cure many diseases that are currently incurable, like diabetes and cancer, they also can cure many sexually transmitted diseases, as well as hereditary diseases. Beyond this CRISPR/Designer Babies are also able to reduce the number of people born with birth defects.
Secondly, CRISPR/Designer Babies will reduce the number of people born with birth defects. Because of the CRISPR process, scientists will be able to alter any DNA that is causing these birth defects and change them on a cellular level. Going along with this, CRISPR/Designer Babies would theoretically also be able to change certain aspects of the babies such as eye colour and hair colour. Editing birth defects is a little different than other things like diseases. The editing doesn't happen in the fetus, but it happens in the embryo. When the baby is in its fetal stages, CRISPR won't work for things like defects, however it does work in the case of embryos. The possibility of reducing birth defects of any kind is substantial. Not to say that people with defects are worse than you and me, it's more so that they face challenges that we don't have to, both physically, mentally, or financially. And ultimately if defects can be reduced it's more so for the better than it is for worse. Not only can CRISPR reduce different birth defects in both the mental and physical categories, (in an embryo), but it can also do things like help prevent miscarriages, or medical terminations due to illness of either a fetus or the mother of said fetus.
Thirdly, CRISPR/Designer Babies will be able to help prevent terminations or miscarriages due to medical concerns of the fetus or mother. Many women have to go through either a miscarriage or a termination, despite the fact that they might not want to. This can cause mental health issues with the would-be parents. CRISPR/Designer Babies would be able to help either prevent this or outright stop it. It does this by going in and changing the DNA of either the mother/fetus or virus, depending on what's wrong. If something is wrong with the fetus, scientists can (depending on what it is) give Cas-9 a sample of the virus DNA to cut, and then change the part of the DNA that is affecting the fetus negatively. But if something is wrong with the mother, then scientists in most cases will do pretty much the same thing, tune it more for what's going on with the mother. CRISPR/designer babies are an innovation that will be able to reduce or stop medical terminations of fetuses, due to its gene editing potential.
In Conclusion, CRISPR is a gene-editing tool that allows us to edit the DNA of a lot of things, including babies/fetuses. CRISPR/Designer Babies will have a positive influence because it will cure some currently incurable diseases, as well as eradicate others, reduce or outright stop birth defects, as well as help prevent the termination of a fetus due to medical concerns. All of these things seem impossible currently, but with a push towards developing designer baby technology, we will be able to bring these ideas to fruition. Although some arguments can be made against the ethics of designer babies, ultimately they will be a benefit to society, and help us progress forward.
