The Ethics and Risks of Human Gene Editing: Lessons from Genetic Engineering and AI

Everyday Applications and Early Concerns

• 💡 Insulin production from genetically engineered microbes was an early success, replacing animal-derived, less effective versions.
• 🌾 Agricultural genetic engineering by companies like Monsanto aimed to reduce pesticide use by making plants produce their own insecticides.
• ⚠️ Early concerns about genetic engineering included creating antibiotic-resistant microbes or transmissible cancer-causing viruses.

Ethical Moratoriums and Cultural Context

• 🔬 Genetic engineering is unique for its self-imposed moratoriums, with scientists pausing research to establish safety protocols, such as the 1975 Asilomar conference.
• 🕊️ The early 1970s scientific community, influenced by 1960s social responsibility and anti-war movements, prioritized ethical considerations.
• ⚖️ Jim Watson notably opposed the patenting of human genes, viewing it as an immoral act that would hinder universal healthcare.

Perils and Close Calls in Research

• 🦠 The H5N1 gain-of-function research in 2011, making bird flu transmissible between mammals, was a significant close call due to its potential 50% mortality rate.
• ☣️ Historical incidents like smallpox lab accidents in the UK and the Soviet bioweapons program's anthrax escape highlight the dangers of handling pathogens.
• 🛡️ Some research, like the mousepox vaccine evasion discovery, inadvertently revealed methods that could be used to create pathogens resistant to existing defenses.

AI and Genetic Engineering: A Comparison

• 💸 The AI community's failed moratorium is attributed to immense financial incentives, contrasting with the early genetic engineering field's caution.
• 🤖 AI's current risks include amplifying existing biases in recruitment and potential dangers in autonomous weapon systems or financial trading.
• 🌍 Unlike early genetic engineering, AI development is now deeply intertwined with economic and social futures, making ethical pauses more challenging.

Human Gene Editing and Societal Impact

• 🧬 He Jiankui's CRISPR experiment on human embryos was deemed unsafe and unethical, resulting in mosaic children with unintended mutations and no clear medical need.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Pre-implantation genetic screening for severe diseases is accepted in some regions, but selection for traits like height or sex raises significant ethical concerns and is often illegal.
• 💰 The potential for gene editing to exacerbate inequality is a concern, as expensive procedures would only be accessible to the wealthy, reinforcing the misconception of "DNA as destiny."