Can we and should we modify human DNA? New scientific tools, like CRISPR-Cas9, now allow scientists to modify human embryo’s genome, but we will not see gene-edited babies tomorrow. In fact, CRISPR is still hazardous and has to be perfected. Moreover, in Britain, embryo modification is still illegal, except for some researches.

A report of the Nuffield Council says that genome editing could be morally acceptable. However, they did not ask for a change in the regulation.

People are worried about this new technology, they fear a dystopian future with enhanced humans. This debate can be compared to that relating to IVF, in the 60s.

People had the same concerns: the apparition of a new human race, stronger, more intelligent and that would supplant nowadays humans. While today, all that fear have disappeared.

 The difference is that, with gene editing, changes, whether good or bad, are passed to the offspring, since we alter directly the genome.  That is why we have to improve our knowledge about this technique, to not badly alter the genome. But, if one day it this technique allows to safely fix diseases, and prevent next generations from contracting it, we are ethically obligated to use it.

The question of human enhancement for non-therapeutic uses is certainly the most debated one. To treat some diseases, we just have to change one gene. Improve intelligence and abilities means modifying hundreds of genes to which they depend, which is not really more efficient than conventional methods like education. It is inconceivable.

For the moment, we have to continue researches and debates, without thinking that this will inevitably lead to a dystopian future. Like for the FIV, we may lost our fear in few years.