Gene-editing of human embryos should be publicly funded – but shouldn’t produce a baby yet, say docs
However, the scientists from around the world, agree that they should stop short of producing a pregnancy 'at this time'
RESEARCH into the gene-editing of human embryos should be publicly funded but stop short of producing a pregnancy “at this time”, experts say.
Heads of 11 groups around the world published their statement in The American Journal Of Human Genetics the day after a US team successfully altered the DNA of an embryo to fix a defective heart gene.
It raised the prospect of eradicating 10,000 inherited conditions.
But it is controversial as critics fear it could lead to the world’s first “designer babies”.
The statement goes on to say work on regulated human genome editing should be permitted, but at present must stop short of producing a pregnancy.
Lead author Professor Kelly Ormond, from Stanford University in the US, said: "Our workgroup on genome editing included experts in several sub-fields of human genetics as well as from countries with varying health systems and research infrastructure.
"Given this diversity of perspective, we are encouraged by the agreement we were able to reach and hope it speaks to the soundness and wider acceptability of our recommendations."
Allowing embryos with artificially altered genes to be implanted in the womb is illegal both in the US and the UK.
In the US, taxpayers' money cannot currently pay for any research that destroys human embryos.