Abstract

There has been much discussion regarding the proper use of the powerful CRISPR technologies that can be used to edit the genome. CRISPR is a technique borrowed from bacterial cells that will allow scientists to quickly and precisely change the DNA of nearly any organism, including humans. Unlike other gene-editing technologies, CRISPR is cheap, quick, and easy to use. In fact, do-it-yourself CRISPR genome editing kits are available online for less than $200, which will enable anyone, including so-called biohackers, to do genetic engineering at the kitchen table. In only three years—CRISPR as a genome-editing tool was first described in 2012—it is already universally acknowledged that this technology will revolutionize the life sciences. But CRISPR’s great promise has also sparked a great ethical and societal debate on its legitimate uses, most significantly on whether it should be used to alter the genomes of our children and grandchildren.