Inside STAT: Families hit by inherited diseases oppose ban on embryo editing

(MOLLY FERGUSON FOR STAT)

Our resident CRISPR reporter Sharon Begley has a new story this morning on the controversial genome editing technology and how it could be used in embryos to correct genetic defects. In Sharon’s words, “The story is about how families who have been affected by severe, inherited disorders feel about embryo editing.” The idea came from attending the first Human Genome Editing Summit back in 2015. “I was just surprised at how so many researchers and bioethicists were insistent that embryo editing was a line that shouldn’t be crossed,” Sharon told me. At the same time, she also heard from patient groups who saw the technology as having the potential to forever remove the threat of a rare disease from their families. “They were puzzled as to why these great minds would say no to that possibility.” Read Sharon’s full story here.