11 Organizations Urge Caution, Not Ban, On CRISPR Germline Genome Editing
One day after publication of a landmark study detailing the first-in-the-U.S. use of CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) to repair a germline mutation in human embryos created through in vitro fertilization, 11 genetics-focused professional organizations are calling for researchers to use caution in applying the technology.
The 11 organizations have issued a policy statement stopping short of calling for a ban on human germline genome editing. But the groups added that future clinical application of the technology should not proceed without at least a “compelling” medical rationale, a base of evidence that justifies clinical use, an ethical justification, and the solicitation and incorporation of stakeholder input through a “transparent public process.”
The 11 organizations have issued a policy statement stopping short of calling for a ban on human germline genome editing. But the groups added that future clinical application of the technology should not proceed without at least a “compelling” medical rationale, a base of evidence that justifies clinical use, an ethical justification, and the solicitation and incorporation of stakeholder input through a “transparent public process.”