Directed Human Evolution. Read: People, get a grip already!
This is so brilliantly wrong in so many ways, I can hardly begin.
This is a review excerpt for Ronald Green's book Babies by Design, from The Economist:
"In the very near future scientists will be snipping and splicing the DNA in human eggs, sperm and embryos, not only fixing faulty genes but adding enhancements too. Soon, we may be able to eradicate terrible genetic diseases such as Tay-Sachs and cystic fibrosis."
Let's just take a second to consider Cystic Fibrosis (CF). CF is caused by mutations in the gene cystic fibrosis transmemebrane conductance regulator (CFTR) that allows individuals to become susceptible to lung infections from Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. A massive number of mutations have been identified in CFTR that can lead to a loss-of-function gene and development of CF. The occurance of CF is about 1:2,500 Caucasians and even without heritability, 1:15,000 cases are from novel mutations. To compound the problem, there is also evidence that being heterozygote for a loss-of-function CFTR may actually provide protection against typhoid fever (infection with Salmonella typhi bacteria). This is a brilliant story of evolutionary genetics that can be found in any good evolution text book and it just boggles the mind that such rubbish as is written above is propagated in the popular media. One would thing that The Economist would have the sense to discriminate between sensationalism and rationality.
The very near future is a very very long way off, especially when ignorance about fundamental biological processes persist among the public.
This is a review excerpt for Ronald Green's book Babies by Design, from The Economist:
"In the very near future scientists will be snipping and splicing the DNA in human eggs, sperm and embryos, not only fixing faulty genes but adding enhancements too. Soon, we may be able to eradicate terrible genetic diseases such as Tay-Sachs and cystic fibrosis."
Let's just take a second to consider Cystic Fibrosis (CF). CF is caused by mutations in the gene cystic fibrosis transmemebrane conductance regulator (CFTR) that allows individuals to become susceptible to lung infections from Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. A massive number of mutations have been identified in CFTR that can lead to a loss-of-function gene and development of CF. The occurance of CF is about 1:2,500 Caucasians and even without heritability, 1:15,000 cases are from novel mutations. To compound the problem, there is also evidence that being heterozygote for a loss-of-function CFTR may actually provide protection against typhoid fever (infection with Salmonella typhi bacteria). This is a brilliant story of evolutionary genetics that can be found in any good evolution text book and it just boggles the mind that such rubbish as is written above is propagated in the popular media. One would thing that The Economist would have the sense to discriminate between sensationalism and rationality.
The very near future is a very very long way off, especially when ignorance about fundamental biological processes persist among the public.
