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> the point about 'affecting all descendandts' is wrong because if we have a technology to make a change we can easily reverse it too If we had perfect editing
by iguy 8y ago
> the point about 'affecting all descendandts' is wrong because if we have a technology to make a change we can easily reverse it too
If we had perfect editing technology (even without perfect knowledge of effects) then as you say we could easily Ctrl-Z the next generation.
But we don't have this yet, so I think it's not unreasonably to worry a bit about inflicting changes (including unintended off-target edits) on grandkids too.
- chr1 8y agoSure worrying a bit is reasonable, and that's the reason most people would not use gene editing now. (Unless they are trying to correct some well understood life threatening condition). If we talk about so many people using it that it can change genetic composition of humanity, it means we already have a reliable way of making changes.