Japan eyes law to tighten control on gene editing of human eggs

I don't know why people are afraid.If only a few smart people on earth are doing so many big inventions .Just imagine what a 7.2 billion genetically modified smart humans can achieve .we can fast forward humanities advancements to a million years in just a decade or two I think.

TheFu, there are already established options to remove those genetic disease without gene editing. Eggs can be harvested and screened for mutations and only normal ones used.

You know someone out there is already doing it - off the books.

I am truly frightened of what genetic engineering a country like China or North Korea might do to its citizens...or what hyper-competitive parents might do to create the 'ultimate' child. Very, very scary.

@paradox. Who decides which genes are tampered with?

I don’t believe in animal testing. Back in the day I joined some radical protests. I now believe in very important last stage testing on a very small number of mammals could possibly be accepted for serious illnesses as long as they have a decent life and there is absolutely no alternative. Testing on humans...well, it already goes on. Many drug companies do drug trials on humans, especially African and Indian subjects. While living in England, researchers, hospitals and drug companies pay people to take part in drug trials. Many needed the money for drugs, alcohol, food, debt etc.

unfortunatly, with massive advances in DNA/RNA research, this new field will be controversial but vital for pioneering science. Japan should be careful not to be left behind.

Last week Chinese researches successfully transferred human DNA into money genomes and released preliminary results. You can google it, but results found that certain cognitive abilities improved. Of course this technology can be used in humans to boost intelligence , along with advances like brain implants that can be used for Bluetooth communication and remote control of machines by just thinking. Research is advancing already.

Im all with @GW. I’m glad I won’t be around when all these technologies become the norm.

i believe in natural selection. Just look what human tampering with nature has done to this planet. Already overpopulation has led to many serious irreversible consenquenses. Disease and natural limited cell replication (death by old age) are designed to control human population, tampering with this will lead to our demise.

this is probably the only hope for our species, to be honest

humans are built in with some incredibly destructive tendencies that threaten the global safety.

editing out or toning down genes that cause extreme aggression, mania, depression, etc. could significantly improve how humans cooperate on a whole.

….It is going to be a scary future because all these "advances" WILL get out of the bag so to speak, who the hell knows what will happen, glad I wont be around to witness too much(hopefully) of this kind of stuff

There will be a LOT of un-intended consequences I am telling you!

I'm torn on an all out ban and only allowing 100% known genetic diseases to be removed, only abnormalities which would drastically reduce someone's lifespan.

Not baldness nor any cosmetic alterations allowed.

Nothing should be added.

Diseases like hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, sickle-cell anemia, muscular dystrophy, if they can safely be ended through gene editing, do it.