CRISPR is something that is evolutionary. Without going into a lot of technological details I will just say that they can now take out sections of mutated DNA and splice in healthy DNA in its place. Theoretically it can cure diseases like cancer. The 19 December 2016 issue of Time magazine has an excellent article about CRISPR. I can understand someone dying from cancer trying this possible cure but I have a problem with it being used for other diseases. Why would I say that? We do not know enough about DNA to understand what might create a larger problem then it solves.
Often a disease is not always just one section of DNA. So it could actually take several segments of DNA to really be a cure. The other problem is how this manipulating of DNA will have the overall effect on the person having this procedure. One segment of DNA that is part of the cure for one disease may be necessary to prevent another disease that could be even worse.
I am also concerned with what it will do to fruits and vegetables. GMO's are doing similar things but this GMO method is a lot faster and much easier. Since it is so fast and inexpensive the next thing will be designer animals. Following that will be designer children. Right now by law it is not allowed to be used on anything before human birth. That law does not stop using it on plants and animals.
This could be the way to cure many diseases but we need a lot more research into the interconnected workings of the various parts of DNA. It looks like the changes to DNA will carry over to the offspring. In the future, it may be the answer to wiping out diseases. We just need to be careful that we do not rush into the changes before we really understand DNA.
Insert date: 2016-12-18 Last update: 2016-12-31
