Scholars are divided on how to regulate heritable genome editing.

Heritable genome editing refers to changing human reproductive cells so that the resulting fetus has genetic changes that its future offspring may inherit.

Proponents of heritable gene-editing champion the possibility of editing out incurable heritable diseases, but others caution that gene editing may have unintended effects. For example, an edit to prevent a child from inheriting a disease might also reduce that childs immunity to other diseases, a concern that is amplified by the fact that any changes to immunity would be heritable.

The debate is no longer theoretical. Shortly after reports of the first live births of gene-edited babies surfaced in 2018, a number of prominent scientists called for a ban on any further experimentation that would result in live births, at least until regulatory schemes were put in place.

This weeks Saturday Seminar explores scholarly works on current and proposed regulatory approaches to heritable gene-editing, as well as the unique challenges to effective regulation given factors like the medical tourism industry.

Read more:
The Next Generation's Genes - The Regulatory Review