- Question
Should genetically modifying babies be legal?
The term “genetic modification” most commonly refers to a technique known as mitochondrial replacement therapy. The treatment involves constructing an embryo from the DNA of three people, using one party’s mitochondrial DNA in place of another, which is at risk for passing on a mitochondrial illness. In recent years, the genetic modification of babies has become a widely debated issue. The first genetically altered babies were born in 2018, prompting the scientific community to debate the ethics of the project. Is this procedure the scientific community's latest achievement, or a step too far?
Yes, genetically modifying babies should be legal
The genetic modification of babies could lead to medical breakthroughs that improve the lives of many people. The treatment carries no more risk than any other form of reproductive assistance and is a potential means of serving the common good.
No, genetically modifying babies should not be legal
This position holds that genetically modifying babies should not be legal. It argues the procedure carries serious safety risks for both mother and child, that most scientists consider it a bad idea, and that it could give rise to a genetic caste system dividing society.