Biotech Wizard Mission: The Lab Decision

Science

A real-world bioethics scenario involving CRISPR gene editing

20 XP
Reward
1
Questions
5–10 min
Time
Q1 Question 1 of 1

You are a member of a hospital ethics committee. A couple comes to you with an urgent request: their five-year-old daughter has a severe, progressive genetic disease caused by a single gene mutation. Without treatment, she will lose her ability to walk by age eight and will likely not survive past twenty. A research team is proposing to use CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to correct the mutation in the daughter's cells. The therapy is still experimental — it has worked in animal models and three adult patients, but no children have been treated yet. The parents have signed informed consent. The research team says the window of opportunity is closing as the disease progresses. Outline at least three arguments FOR proceeding and three arguments AGAINST, then explain what additional information you would want before making a decision.