6 x ETHICAL ISSUES

• What are the main ethical issues in biotechnology?

  Human genome editing, cloning, designer babies
• Why does biotechnology raise ethical questions?

  It deals with life, health, and future generations
• What is the ethical challenge posed by powerful scientific tools in biotechnology?

  Determining what we should or shouldn't do
• What are the potential benefits of human genome editing?

  • Cure or prevent genetic disorders
  • Reduce burden of inherited diseases
  • Potentially eliminate disease-causing mutations
• What tool allows scientists to alter genes in humans?

  CRISPR-Cas9
• What are the two applications of human genome editing?

  Somatic and germline editing
• What was the outcome of He Jiankui's CRISPR babies case?

  • He was sentenced to three years in prison
  • Fined 3 million yuan ($430,000)
  • Illegally edited human embryos
• Why was He Jiankui's experiment controversial?

  It was premature, unsafe, and unethical
• What are the risks associated with genome editing technology?

  Off-target effects causing harmful mutations
• What are the ethical issues surrounding cloning?

  • Religious/moral concerns about "playing God"
  • Questions of individuality and uniqueness
  • Health risks and low success rates
• What was the first mammal cloned from an adult cell?

  Dolly the sheep
• What is therapeutic cloning used for?

  Harvesting stem cells for medical treatment
• What are the medical/scientific issues related to cloning?

  Low success rates and health problems in clones
• What are the concerns regarding human cloning?

  • Ethical implications of cloning humans
  • Potential for commercial exploitation
  • Health risks to women donating eggs
• What is the success rate of cloning, as exemplified by Dolly the sheep?

  1-2% success rate
• Why is human reproductive cloning banned in most countries?

  Due to ethical and safety concerns
• What are the potential benefits of designer babies?

  • Prevention of heritable diseases
  • Improved quality of life
  • Increased parental control over health
• What ethical concerns arise from the concept of designer babies?

  Risk of eugenics and inequality
• How could designer babies affect genetic diversity?

  It may reduce genetic diversity in humanity
• What is the current status of embryo selection in fertility clinics?

  • Embryo selection for sex or disease risk is practiced
  • Full-scale genetic engineering for traits is not yet possible
• What questions arise regarding human germline editing?

  Should it be allowed for enhancement or only curing diseases?
• Who should decide the rules for genome editing?

  Scientists, governments, or society?