2015 Articles

Eugenics lurk in the shadow of CRISPR

Pollack, Robert

In "Eugenics Lurk in the Shadow of CRISPR," Robert Pollack warns of the ethical and societal dangers posed by the advent of CRISPR-Cas9 technology, particularly concerning human germline modification. Pollack argues that while CRISPR offers unprecedented possibilities for genetic engineering, it also opens the door to a modern form of eugenics, where genetic traits could be selected or discarded based on subjective notions of desirability. He critiques the current regulatory and ethical frameworks as insufficient to prevent this potential misuse and calls for a global moratorium on germline editing. Pollack emphasizes the need to preserve the fundamental human rights that could be compromised by the unchecked application of such powerful technologies.