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Final Propsal
Final Propsal
Claire Palmer
Professor Richard
Informal Proposal
15th April 2016
Purpose
I am writing this letter to propose a solution to the creation of the CRISPR-Cas9, which is
a mechanism that scientists have created in order to change the RNA in a childs genome. The
approach to this mechanism is to be able to stop genetically heritable diseases so that children
can get a chance to live a normal life when they wouldnt be able to, but it has the ability to also
enhance a childs genome by changing the way they will look, how they act, and what they
become good at. Parents who can afford it could ultimately create the perfect human being, by
not only making them disease free, but also making them athletic, intelligent, and beautiful.
I suggest that there be restrictions when it comes to the making and usage of the
CRISPR-Cas9, because this mechanism could futurity create not only moral and ethical
problems in society, but also cause us to invent a species that could destroy us. Scientists dont
realize that the making of the perfect human being could create indestructible mutations or
diseases, and cause societal separation.
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Down Syndrome, Sickle Cell Anemia Cystic Fibrosis, and Huntingtons Disease ruin
countless peoples lives, and ultimately kill most in the end. This is a problem society has been
trying to fix for a multitude of years and now, the answer is right in front of them. However, with
this mechanism, there needs to be guidelines and restrictions to stop people of society and
scientists from creating something that could destroy us in the end. Before we perfect a human
being, we need to perfect the mechanism and understand the consequences of the mechanism. It
is too early for scientists to fully know if the CRISPR-Cas9 could create something that cant be
fixed. This machine not only changes the RNA genome for that only child, but also for that
childs family. The traits in which the CRISPR-Cas9 gives to that child can be passed down to
the next generation if that child were to have a baby in the future. Scientist dont see how
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terrifying the outcome of that could be, because if we create something we cant fix, like a
mutation or a disease for example, then that can be carried on for generations to come.
Morals and ethics also play a huge role in the genetic modification of humans through
CRISPR-Cas9. Scientists do not take into account that if a child is sculpted like a piece of art
work by its parents, then do they truly believe they are who they should be? It is not only the
physical traits that could end up hurting us genetically, but it can also effect peoples mental
state. Children could end up not looking anything like their parents because their parents could
create them based off of dreams of their own. This could go entirely against what that child
wants for the future and can effect them for years to come as the genomes of these children
would be changed before they even become a person. So in the end they dont ever get to be who
they truly are, but instead they live under the constant expectations of their parents dreams and
ideas. Which could result in mental disorders, and societal controversies.
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being and realize that children are humans not pieces of art to show off. This will also stop us
from creating incurable mutations and diseases that could happen when the genome of the child
is what scientist think of as fixed or perfect.
Costs
When it comes to the usage of the CRISPR-Cas9, the fixation of one gene letter
(A,C,D,G) can amount to about $400 dollars or more based off of how extensive and how risky it
is to fix that gene. It also depends on the disease that is being fix, a less rare disease such as
Follicular Lymphoma, would be more expensive to fix per letter compared to Sickle Cell
Anemia, because doctors see less of the Follicular Lymphoma disease so it takes longer to find
what they are looking for as well as harder to geneticist fix the creation of the genome. As for the
enhancement for eye color, hair color, skin color, intelligence, atheism, and personality, it would
be even far more expensive than fixing a disease, because those genes hold on average six letters
per gene, and each letter would have to be changed in order to create a different outcome than it
originally was. Based off these findings, what could be concluded would be that only the rich or
well off would be about to afford CRISPR-Cas9, causing a greater separation between the rich or
well off and the poor or homeless.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I think there should be regulation and limitations on the enhancing of
genetically modified babies using the CRISPR-Cas9. By doing this, society could cause less
problems to arise when using that CRISPR-Cas9, while still being able to help children in need
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of help that have these incurable hereditary diseases without enhancing any other traits. It would
also increase a childs chance of a normal life without creating more problems than society
already has such as mutations, more disease, moral or ethical controversies, and segregation.
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Work Cited
Agar, Nicholas. "Designer Babies: Ethical Considerations." Actionbioscience. American Institute of
Biological Sciences, 2006. Web. 15 April. 2016.
Caplan, Arthur. "Babies by Design: The Ethics of Genetic Choice." Review: Babies by Design by
Ronald M. Green. N.p., 2008. Web. 15 April. 2016.
Genetically Engineered Animals." SpringerReference (n.d.): n. pag. Prohibit Genetically Engineered
Babies. Intelligence Squared U.S. Web. 15 April. 2016.
"Human Genetics Alert - The Threat of Human Genetic Engineering." Human Genetics Alert - The
Threat of Human Genetic Engineering. N.p., n.d. Web.15 April. 2016.
"Orion Magazine | Designer Genes." Orion Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web.15 April. 2016.
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