Double helix of DNA biochemistry, Author brian0918™ (PD)
Editing the human genome is no longer beyond the realm of possibility. To the contrary, it represents the frontier of medicine, promising a golden future without heritable disease or genetic defects. The question is: at what cost to human rights?
Human genome editing takes two forms: somatic genome editing (which modifies non-reproductive cells) and germline genome editing (which modifies reproductive cells, including sperm and egg cells, and can be passed on to future generations) [1A].
Somatic Gene Editing
Somatic gene editing is viewed as less controversial, since it cannot be passed on. The United States, the United Kingdom, and China have all permitted clinical trials involving somatic editing to treat cancer, sickle cell anemia, and other genetic diseases [1B].
Germline Gene Editing
No country has yet approved germline genetic editing, although twins whose germline had been modified using the genetic cut-copy-paste technology known by the acronym CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) were born in China in 2018 [1C][2A].
A majority of the European Union has ratified the Oviedo Convention which prohibits heritable gene editing in humans [1D]. Germany, Canada, and Australia have adopted similar prohibitions [1E].
There is a strong possibility that these bans will eventually be lifted for therapeutic purposes, though there is no current agreement on what qualifies as “therapeutic”. There is an equal chance that access to germline genetic editing will at some point be characterized as a legal “right” [6A].
In the United States, law currently prohibits the use of federal funds on human germline gene therapy [2B]. However, there are no protocols or restrictions for human genomic engineering [2C].
Recently, a startup named Preventive was identified as attempting to engineer the first genetically modified baby outside China [3]. This is not surprising, since Do-It-Yourself CRISPR kits are actually available online [6B].
While US law prohibits experimentation on humans without their informed consent, privately funded human germline editing like this is not expressly unlawful [4]. Future embryos, of course, have no say in their own modification. FDA approval would still be required for clinical studies and marketing [2D].
The potential for financial gain is dizzying. So is the potential for abuse.
Policy Considerations
At a bare minimum, there are significant policy considerations to be resolved. These include the cost of testing, the possibility for genetic discrimination, intellectual property rights regarding artificially modified DNA, and privacy rights [5][7].
Eugenics
Beyond that is the allure of eugenics [6C]. The line between medical treatment and enhancement is easily blurred. Do we alter skin, hair, or eye color to fit some preferred model? Do we create a race of super-athletes? Super-soldiers? What about slave laborers? Or perhaps a master race to fit some new madman’s standard?
Human Dignity
“…convinced of the need to respect the human being both as an individual and as a member of the human species and recognising the importance of ensuring the dignity of the human being”
—Oviedo Convention
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” (Ps. 139: 14).
The Bible teaches us that man was made in God’s image (Gen. 1: 27). That connection is more than skin deep. It is spiritual, the very basis on which the dignity of man rests. No modification of bodily structure or function will alter that.
But we tamper with God’s design at our peril. The temptations for misuse are enormous. Given the track record of mankind, it is far more likely our children’s children will curse rather than bless us, if we go down this path.
—
[1A through 1E] The Regulatory Review, “Editing the Human Genome” by Gloria Lyu and Matthew Spiro, 6/1/24, https://www.theregreview.org/2024/06/01/editing-the-human-genome/.
[2A through 2D] Global Gene Editing Regulation Tracker, “United States: Germline/Embryonic”, https://crispr-gene-editing-regs-tracker.geneticliteracyproject.org/united-states-embryonic-germline-gene-editing/.
[3] Futurism, “Startup Secretly Working to Gene-Hack Human Baby” by Joe Wilkins, 11/11/25, https://futurism.com/health-medicine/startup-altman-gene-hacking.
[4] Legal Clarity, “What Are the US Human Experimentation Laws?”, 7/19/25, https://legalclarity.org/what-are-the-u-s-human-experimentation-laws/.
[5] National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, “Policy Issues in Genomics”, 2/8/24, https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/policy-issues.
[6A, 6B, and 6C] National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, “Rewriting the human genome, rewriting human rights law? Human rights, human dignity, and human germline modification in the CRISPR era” by Britta van Beers, 7/9/20, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8248990/.
[7] BioSpace, “Who’s Paying for Million-Dollar Gene Therapies?” by Karen Fischer, 6/11/24, https://www.biospace.com/who-s-paying-for-million-dollar-gene-therapies.
The Irish Charity Commission has launched an investigation into the Presbyterian Church of Ireland for significant “safeguarding” failures from 2009-2022 re: the protection of abuse victims. These included inadequate responses to disclosures, and repeated failures to report to statutory bodies. A criminal investigation is, also, underway. The church’s moderator, Rev. Trevor Gribben, has stepped down.
See, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgy4wz9d20o and https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0ex32jgwlg.
Oklahoma Assemblies of God children’s minister Joe Campbell has been arrested for child abuse which is believed to have extended for decades.
Double helix of DNA biochemistry, Author brian0918™ (PD)
Editing the human genome is no longer beyond the realm of possibility. To the contrary, it represents the frontier of medicine, promising a golden future without heritable disease or genetic defects. The question is: at what cost to human rights?
Human genome editing takes two forms: somatic genome editing (which modifies non-reproductive cells) and germline genome editing (which modifies reproductive cells, including sperm and egg cells, and can be passed on to future generations) [1A].
Somatic Gene Editing
Somatic gene editing is viewed as less controversial, since it cannot be passed on. The United States, the United Kingdom, and China have all permitted clinical trials involving somatic editing to treat cancer, sickle cell anemia, and other genetic diseases [1B].
Germline Gene Editing
No country has yet approved germline genetic editing, although twins whose germline had been modified using the genetic cut-copy-paste technology known by the acronym CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) were born in China in 2018 [1C][2A].
A majority of the European Union has ratified the Oviedo Convention which prohibits heritable gene editing in humans [1D]. Germany, Canada, and Australia have adopted similar prohibitions [1E].
There is a strong possibility that these bans will eventually be lifted for therapeutic purposes, though there is no current agreement on what qualifies as “therapeutic”. There is an equal chance that access to germline genetic editing will at some point be characterized as a legal “right” [6A].
In the United States, law currently prohibits the use of federal funds on human germline gene therapy [2B]. However, there are no protocols or restrictions for human genomic engineering [2C].
Recently, a startup named Preventive was identified as attempting to engineer the first genetically modified baby outside China [3]. This is not surprising, since Do-It-Yourself CRISPR kits are actually available online [6B].
While US law prohibits experimentation on humans without their informed consent, privately funded human germline editing like this is not expressly unlawful [4]. Future embryos, of course, have no say in their own modification. FDA approval would still be required for clinical studies and marketing [2D].
The potential for financial gain is dizzying. So is the potential for abuse.
Policy Considerations
At a bare minimum, there are significant policy considerations to be resolved. These include the cost of testing, the possibility for genetic discrimination, intellectual property rights regarding artificially modified DNA, and privacy rights [5][7].
Eugenics
Beyond that is the allure of eugenics [6C]. The line between medical treatment and enhancement is easily blurred. Do we alter skin, hair, or eye color to fit some preferred model? Do we create a race of super-athletes? Super-soldiers? What about slave laborers? Or perhaps a master race to fit some new madman’s standard?
Human Dignity
“…convinced of the need to respect the human being both as an individual and as a member of the human species and recognising the importance of ensuring the dignity of the human being”
—Oviedo Convention
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” (Ps. 139: 14).
The Bible teaches us that man was made in God’s image (Gen. 1: 27). That connection is more than skin deep. It is spiritual, the very basis on which the dignity of man rests. No modification of bodily structure or function will alter that.
But we tamper with God’s design at our peril. The temptations for misuse are enormous. Given the track record of mankind, it is far more likely our children’s children will curse rather than bless us, if we go down this path.
—
[1A through 1E] The Regulatory Review, “Editing the Human Genome” by Gloria Lyu and Matthew Spiro, 6/1/24, https://www.theregreview.org/2024/06/01/editing-the-human-genome/.
[2A through 2D] Global Gene Editing Regulation Tracker, “United States: Germline/Embryonic”, https://crispr-gene-editing-regs-tracker.geneticliteracyproject.org/united-states-embryonic-germline-gene-editing/.
[3] Futurism, “Startup Secretly Working to Gene-Hack Human Baby” by Joe Wilkins, 11/11/25, https://futurism.com/health-medicine/startup-altman-gene-hacking.
[4] Legal Clarity, “What Are the US Human Experimentation Laws?”, 7/19/25, https://legalclarity.org/what-are-the-u-s-human-experimentation-laws/.
[5] National Institutes of Health, National Human Genome Research Institute, “Policy Issues in Genomics”, 2/8/24, https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/policy-issues.
[6A, 6B, and 6C] National Institutes of Health, National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, “Rewriting the human genome, rewriting human rights law? Human rights, human dignity, and human germline modification in the CRISPR era” by Britta van Beers, 7/9/20, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8248990/.
[7] BioSpace, “Who’s Paying for Million-Dollar Gene Therapies?” by Karen Fischer, 6/11/24, https://www.biospace.com/who-s-paying-for-million-dollar-gene-therapies.
The Irish Charity Commission has launched an investigation into the Presbyterian Church of Ireland for significant “safeguarding” failures from 2009-2022 re: the protection of abuse victims. These included inadequate responses to disclosures, and repeated failures to report to statutory bodies. A criminal investigation is, also, underway. The church’s moderator, Rev. Trevor Gribben, has stepped down.
See, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgy4wz9d20o and https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0ex32jgwlg.
Oklahoma Assemblies of God children’s minister Joe Campbell has been arrested for child abuse which is believed to have extended for decades.
Wishing you all a Happy New Year!
FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT: https://alawyersprayers.com
Wishing you all a Happy New Year!
FOR MORE OF MY ARTICLES ON POVERTY, POLITICS, AND MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE CHECK OUT MY BLOG A LAWYER’S PRAYERS AT: https://alawyersprayers.com
ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse 