Home> Archive> 2018> Volume 8 Number 10 (Oct. 2018)
IJSSH 2018 Vol.8(10): 266-269 ISSN: 2010-3646
doi: 10.18178/ijssh.2018.V9.972

Considerations of Unlimited Applications of Gene Editing

Miyako Takagi

Abstract—CRISPR-Cas9, a current mainstream method for gene editing, has been broadly used by biologists due to its speed, simplicity, and low cost. It allows medical scientists to alter DNA with greater precision than previously existing gene editing techniques. In April 2015, Chinese scientists for the first time edited the DNA of human embryos using CRISPR-Cas9. Although the team had no intention of creating so-called designer baby born from an embryo which has been genetically modified to produce desirable traits, the experiment set off shock waves across the globe. Critics have warned that interfering with human genes could have unintended, negative consequences on future generations. CRISPR-Cas9 is not a complicated technology, and biohackers have attempted to alter their own genes to promote muscle growth or nullify human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Furthermore, a scientist posted a “do-it-yourself (DIY) Human CRISPR Guide” online and tried to sell DNA for $159. Regarding such new DIY bioengineering movements, the regulatory framework has failed to curb these issues not only in the United States but also in many other countries. However, in January 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) officially added genetic engineering to its list of banned substances and methods, with the updated list including “gene editing agents designed to alter genome sequences and/or the transcriptional or epigenetic regulation of gene expression.” Although the use of gene editing for doping has not been reported, the development of evaluation methods that can detect gene editing is warranted before the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics in 2020.br />
Index Terms—CRISPR-Cas9, DIY-bio movement, gene editing in sports, human germline editing.

Miyako Takagi is with the Faculty of Human Welfare, Tokyo Online University, Tokyo, Japan (e-mail: takagi.miyako@ internet.ac.jp).

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Cite: Miyako Takagi, "Considerations of Unlimited Applications of Gene Editing," International Journal of Social Science and Humanity vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 266-269, 2018.

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