Being Future Fit: Is Gene Editing the Answer?

NISTH Think Out: Debate Series

In the age of technology, it is no secret that our health has become inseparably intertwined with the technology that surrounds us. Biomedical technology has seen an exponential rate of growth in the past decades, extending life expectancies, combating illnesses, and generally improving the quality of our lives. Indeed, the development of medical treatments and therapies through technological advancements have unequivocally ameliorated all aspects of healthcare.
Treatment, however, is but one purpose of medical advancement. On the other hand, enhancement is an oft-neglected outcome from medical advancement. Where treatment refers to curing – or otherwise solving – illness, enhancement looks at the prospect of augmenting the human body towards greater ends; to make the human body less susceptible to disease, or to increase athletic performance to overcome our natural boundaries.
Following a well-received inaugural instalment of NISTH’s Medical ThinkOut, NISTH is proud to present its next exciting medical webinar on the topic of Being Future Fit: Is Gene Editing the Answer?
In this webinar, distinguished professors Julian Savulescu and Peter Dröge will speak on the ethics of gene editing towards the purpose of human augmentation. In doing so, we anticipate a lively discussion on the plausibility and indeed permissibility of gene editing to prepare future generations of humans for the challenges of the future. With modern breakthroughs in medical innovation, for example, can we genetically predispose our children away from certain diseases? Or can we completely eradicate illnesses from humanity by altering our genetic makeup to prevent these illnesses from afflicting humans altogether? If the answer to these questions is in the present state of science, the question remains if we should do so. Are there possible negative implications to consider, and if so, how should we navigate them?