Researchers Skeptical About Findings From Landmark Gene-Editing Study
Researchers claimed they successfully removed a heart condition from a fertilized embryo with genetic editing, but some scientists are skeptical.
LEARN MORENew Gene-Editing Techniques Might Not Be As Foolproof As We Thought
CRISPR gave scientists the first chance to genetically engineer human embryos. But as new methods surface, researchers question which is best.
New Gene-Editing Techniques Might Not Be As Foolproof As We Thought
Shoukhrat Mitalipov
October 4, 2017
If you follow science news, you might've heard of the high-profile studies about a tool called CRISPR. Media outlets have followed CRISPR's development closely because scientists have shown it can cut out and replace DNA that causes hereditary diseases.
Some media outlets say we're "nearly ready to use CRISPR to target far more diseases" than those we've worked on in trials. But some scientists warn we still haven't shown we can do that safely or efficiently.
For instance, in August, researchers published a landmark CRISPR study where they claimed to fix DNA that causes a fatal heart disease. But when a group of independent researchers looked into the report, they found the study's authors may have removed too much healthy DNA with the bad stuff, which could cause more genetic damage than it was supposed to fix.
So some researchers are trying to modify CRISPR for even more efficient techniques, like "base editing." While base editing still uses the same tools as CRISPR, it doesn't actually cut out bad DNA. Instead, its creators said it can edit the faulty building blocks of DNA without replacing them.
Some outlets said the new technique was "more precise than CRISPR" because it fixed hereditary problems in 40 percent of embryos. That was relatively more successful than CRISPR but not enough for clinical trials.
Although it's probably too early to say that we'll use this technology soon, it will likely be a promising part of our future.
6:35
Life-saving drugs cost thousands in the US. Can laws change that?
Prescription drugs are often priced higher in the U.S. than in other countries, but there is legislation that aims to cut costs.
By AP5:27
The science and safety behind newly popular weight loss drugs
Today’s weight loss drugs pull from the science of diabetes treatments. Those have been proven for years to have fewer and less serious side effects.
By Patrick Sison / APAmazon launches $5-a-month unlimited prescriptions for Prime members
The retail giant’s RxPass has a prescription list that includes more than 50 common medications.
By Mark Lennihan / APTop Stories
GOP on State of the Union: 'Biden and the Democrats have failed you'
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders told her audience that Biden and the Democratic Party “failed you. You know it, and they know it.”
By Al Drago / AP3:08
After State of the Union, Tyre Nichols' family pushes accountability
Just after attending the State of the Union address, Tyre Nichols' parents talked to Scripps News about their experience and hopes for the future.
By Patrick Semansky / AP1:50
President Joe Biden delivers the 2023 State of the Union address
President Joe Biden's annual address focused on bipartisanship while touting the administration’s economic accomplishments.
By Patrick Semansky / AP