Genetic Modification and Cloning Essay

In the presented case study, Mr. and Mrs. Falardeau face a dilemma regarding the future of their 3-year-old son. They want their child to be healthy and happy and doubt whether the boy would have a joyful life if he would lose his eyesight. Doing their own research, the parents consider genetic engineering as a way of treating their son’s vision. It is important to explain to the parents where genetic engineering stands these days and its prospects in treating retinal diseases.

There are positive aspects of genetic modification and gene cloning on the human body. For example, CRISPR‐Cas9, a unique technique of genetic engineering discovered in the 1990s, can find specific pieces of DNA that need to be modified and do so (Xu et al., 2018). CRISPR‐Cas9 is found to be “efficacious and cost-effective” in treating retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, which is caused by the loss of photoreceptor cells that can cause blindness (Xu et al., 2018, p. 26). Ethically, research shows that it would be impermissible not to cure people using something as easy as modifying genes (Liao, 2019). However, it is crucial to consider that interfering with genes can have irreparable consequences.

The negative aspects of cloning and genetic modification are hard to foretell because there is relatively little research on humans. Modifying human genes may result in inheritable changes that cause various risks, whereas cloning may have unpredictable effects on future generations (Shafique, 2020). However, there are techniques of genetic engineering, such as CRISPR‐Cas9, that with every day become more promising. In 2020, CRISPR‐Cas9 was used in treating patients with cancer, and the results show no “off‐target effects and clinical toxicities” associated with CRISPR-Cas9 (Zhang, 2021, p. 2476). With each person’s health being unique, there can be many outcomes that can result in life expectancy differently, but there are more hopeful prospects every day.

While CRISPR‐Cas9 is being studied to treat a wide range of diseases, it has already shown positive effects in treating retinal diseases without life-threatening consequences. It would be cruel not to give a chance of treatment to a child who would lose his vision before he turns eight years old when children only begin to truly explore the world. Even though it is hard to predict all the outcomes of genetic modification and cloning, I would suggest using CRISPR‐Cas9 in treating retinal diseases such as the one described in the case study.

References

Liao, S. M. (2019). Designing humans: A human rights approach. Bioethics, 33(1), 98-104.

Shafique, S. (2020). Scientific and ethical implications of human and animal cloning. International Journal of Science, Technology and Society, 8(1), 9-17.

Xu, C. L., Park, K. S., & Tsang, S. H. (2018). CRISPR/Cas9 genome surgery for retinal diseases. Drug Discovery Today: Technologies, 28, 23-32.

Zhang, B. (2021). CRISPR/Cas gene therapy. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 236(4), 2459-2481.