Gene tinkering could harm evolution, scientists warn at summit

International scientists who research the promising new technology of gene editing agreed Thursday that any attempts to alter human germ cells or embryos would be irresponsible and pose unknown risks to future human generations.

While the research offers unprecedented hopes for curing a host of genetic diseases in individual patients, the scientists said, they warned that tinkering with genes that control heredity or lead to pregnancy could affect the future of human evolution in unknown and even dangerous ways.

The committee included Doudna and Paul Berg, a Stanford Nobel laureate whose gene-splicing experiments in 1972 led to the world’s first regulations governing recombinant DNA research and the growth of today’s multibillion-dollar industries based on genetic engineering.

The use of germline editing to alter the heredity of individuals by manipulating reproductive cells — sperm, eggs or embryos — was the most difficult issue facing the scientists, and they agreed it is much too early to start experimenting in that area.

Many promising medical uses for gene editing can be used to edit genes for hereditary blood cell diseases such as sickle cell anemia, for gene therapy trials, or to improve the ability of immune system cells to fight cancer, the researchers agreed.

[...] neither the world’s scientists nor their governments have yet to face “the moral and ethical considerations in purposefully altering human evolution,” the meeting’s statement said.