Should We Modify DNA in Human Embryos?

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Do Now

Should we modify DNA in human eggs or embryos in order to prevent disease?

Introduction

On February 3, 2015, the UK voted to authorize mitochondrial DNA modification. This new law has been dubbed the “three-person embryo” and “three-person babies” law. The mitochondria in our cells carries important DNA in addition to the DNA found in the nucleus of cells. Unfortunately, some mothers carry potentially fatal or incurable diseases within their mitochondrial DNA that are passed on to their children. Throughout the world, a child is born every 30 minutes who will develop a mitochondrial disease before age 10. A child who is born with unhealthy mitochondrial DNA can show many symptoms, such as seizures, diabetes, muscle weakness or loss of muscle coordination, or neurological problems. Most people with such a disease do not survive past their teen years. The “three-person embryo” law will allow doctors to replace the nucleus from a healthy donor egg with the nucleus from an egg with mitochondrial DNA mutations, which can then be fertilized, thereby creating an embryo from three different people (or replace the nucleus from the donor egg with the parents’ nuclear material from a fertilized egg). This advanced scientific process, which used to be a fictional concept, has been a reality for several years, but has only now been legalized. The controversial and notable decision has sparked hope for mothers who carry mitochondrial diseases. However, it has also fueled considerable debate. Some worry that legalizing mitochondrial DNA alteration will open the door to people selectively modifying the physical attributes of an embryo contained in the nuclear DNA.

There are strong opinions on both sides of this issue. People who support genetically modifying (changing) mitochondrial DNA are interested in eliminating unhealthy or fatal diseases in newborns, which could prolong life for dozens of years. The ability to replace mitochondrial DNA helps alleviate the worries of mothers who have mitochondrial DNA mutations that would be passed on to their children. There is also a biological imperative that points towards modifying DNA. People are driven to keep the human race alive. Humans have, for thousands of years, been developing technology and medicine which has influenced human heredity. DNA modification is simply the next step in creating a more stable species.

On the other hand, people who disapprove of mitochondrial modification argue that it could potentially lead into the boundaries of nuclear DNA modification. Not only does nuclear DNA modification have the potential to change phenotypic, or physical, characteristics, but it may also open the doors to designing certain personalities and enhancing specific abilities of the embryo, such as a child’s future athleticism. This method of artificially sculpting near-perfect humans raises some ethical concerns. It resembles the concept of eugenics, which is the idea of selectively breeding a certain type or race of people. In addition, some see the genetic manipulation as an increase in the gap between the rich and poor. Wealthier families will have a privilege of changing the DNA of their embryos, while people with lower incomes will not. Finally, Thomas Malthus, an English scholar of the 18th century, dictated that diseases and genetic variability in a population is essential for a stable community. If it becomes the norm to manipulate mitochondrial DNA, and eventually nuclear DNA, to reduce genetically-caused diseases, human genetic variation may substantially decline and cause the human population to crash in the long term.

What do you think? Should we encourage genetic alterations in eggs or embryos? Do the pros outweigh the cons? Will mitochondrial DNA donation open the door to “designer babies” in the future?

Resource

AUDIO: U.K. Lawmakers Allow Scientists To Attempt ‘DNA Transplants’ (NPR)
This audio piece describes the process of creating a “three-parent embryo” and concerns around legalizing such genetic manipulation.

To respond to the Do Now, you can comment below or tweet your response. Be sure to begin your tweet with @KQEDedspace and end it with #DoNowBabies

For more info on how to use Twitter, click here.

We encourage students to reply to other people’s tweets to foster more of a conversation. Also, if students tweet their personal opinions, ask them to support their ideas with links to interesting/credible articles online (adding a nice research component) or retweet other people’s ideas that they agree/disagree/find amusing. We also value student-produced media linked to their tweets. You can visit our video tutorials that showcase how to use several web-based production tools. Of course, do as you can… and any contribution is most welcomed.

More Resources

INTERACTIVE POLL: Should We Create Babies By Design? (WGBH)
Take part in an interactive poll about whether we should be manipulating DNA in human embryos.

AUDIO: Combining the DNA of Three People Raises Ethical Questions (NPR)
This audio clip and accompanying article discuss the ethics and process of “three-parent embryos.”

ARTICLE: MPs Say Yes to Three-Person Babies (BBC)
A set of infographics within this article show the two processes of mitochondrial DNA manipulation.

KQED Education partners with phenomenal organizations to bring you the Science Do Now activities. The Science Do Now is posted every two weeks on Tuesday. This post was written by the following youth from the Science News Team within the California Academy of Sciences’ TechTeens program: Alexander B., Darrah B., Jonathan H., Nora H., Janelle L., Oliver L., Otto L. and Samuel P. The TechTeens are youth leaders who use digital media to develop and communicate science stories for the public.

Explore: Community, Science, DNA, disease, genetics, mitochondria, three-person babies, three-person embryos, mutations, Grades 6-12

Show Comments (77)

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Sylvia Hennessy

The ability to modify babies at the oocyte level is not new. To ignore the potential to eliminate some of our most painful and debilitating diseases is unthinkable. It would take more than a single cell dna manipulation to create a designer baby. We, as a people are molded to a great extent by our peers and our home life not just our genetic makeup.
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Guess

Nonsense. With the knowledge that your offspring may inherit genetic diseases, you’ve already been equipped with the ability to make compassionate choices in regards to their well being. And frankly that choice should be to simply not procreate, not to take these drastic and unnecessary risks. Many of the diseases promised to be eradicated are probably themselves the results of humans’ prior attempts at playing mother nature. It’s incredible how much faith some people put in science and so-called progress.
SpotlightCAS

Hello! Please fill out this survey to share your opinion on this issue with us: tinyurl.com/qzxsdje Thanks!
JayJayW

Yes we should modify DNA in human eggs. The reason why is because instead of a baby being born with a disease it can be born a healthy baby In which the parents don’t have to spend that much money for the child’s medical care. #AJHSHardee
Hunter Hines

No we should not modify humans in the womb. If we began to modify people we will eventually go too far. People are selfish and something like this could easily open doors for people to put their selves and their children before others. I couldn’t help but thing of Nazi Germany while reading and studying this article. Using this could open doors to another “Perfect Race”. It also simply compromises my morals to agree with something like this. Its Gods job to create humans the way they are and no one should be able to change that. People should not be allowed to modify baby’s in the womb. #AJHSHardee
Emma C.

I do not think we should modify babies in the womb. People who have more money than others might take it too far and model the baby after something or someone they shouldn’t. For example, if someone who has a whole lot of money wants to make their baby look like Michael Jackson they could and that isn’t how babies are supposed to be made. The cool thing about babies is it’s a mix between your genetics and someone else and then you get a child that shows traits that you have. That’s pretty cool and I wouldn’t want to mess with that to have a designer baby. #AJHSHardee
Sydney

I don’t agree with messing with a baby’s genetics even if they do have a disease. Everyone and everything has a purpose, but with this, more people would change the DNA so their child may “fit in” or be what is currently considered perfect. It may eliminate problems, but will create more than it solved. Standards continuously change, and so even as soon as your baby looks the way you want, you will just be disappointed again. This generation relies too much on getting what they want when they want it, and in the long run I feel it’s best to let every thing take its course and let everyone look different and be different. They will all do and be what they were made for, regardless of what problems they are challenged with. #AJHSHardee #DoNowBabies
- JoshuaM_BoydBence
  
  Woah what on earth are you talking about? Where did you get that people are doing this so that they can change a baby’s appearance? While that could be a possibility in the future the reason the UK made this bill is so that they can stuff incurable/bad diseases from being passed down to children. Where did you get all of…this from?
Sydney H.

I do not think we should modify human DNA or embryos for disease prevention. I think that if they allowed people to modify DNA eventually people would want to change DNA. By doing that it would be going against ethics and beliefs.
- JoshuaM_BoydBence
  
  Well what do you believe?
sophie

@KQEDedspace I don’t think we should mess with the babies DNA because it reminds me a lot of Hitler’s Perfect race and it would make a big difference between rich and poor people. #AJHSHardee #DoNowBabies
- JoshuaM_BoydBence
  
  Lol what
hannahg

I don’t believe they can do what their saying… these scientists want to do genetic expierements on babies and that’s just cruel
#bhslib
JoshuaM_BoydBence

People seem to be obsessed with Adolf in these comments for some reason…/s
Jackson Raff

I think that if this works, it could be a perfect way to prevent diseases in the future. PBS stated that if your family inherits a disorder or disease, we cold possibly screen it. This could lead to less diseases in the future.
Elliot Barnes

overall i have mixed feelings about this subject. there are goods and bads that both seem to equal each other out.on the good side you’re talking about the possible prevention of mitochondrial diseases/death. this could potentially save the lives of many infants, which would also relieve the stress factor on parents who might have to deal with this other wise. but on the bad side you’re talking about genetically modifying something that cannot even walk yet. if you read the article ‘MP’s say yes to three person babies”, they say that there is no clear danger by this process but that it will take vast amounts of careful progression. so it might not be dangerous, but in the minds of many its in a way, dehumanizing. so as you can see there are many pros and many cons.
Bella Anaya

Personally i feel that we should not modify DNA in a human embryo. If people begin to modify the DNA in an embryo or egg people will to take it too far and as KQED article said i don’t think its ok to artificially sculpt a perfect child before it even born. There are also too many ethical and safety concerns.
Eric Norton

This would be excellent if it works. This can lead to less diseases and more happy faces. This can influence health for disabled babies. #prayer
Bryan Pena

I think that we should modify DNA in human eggs. So If i baby is born with an illness or disease, people wont have to be paying for their treatment. It will be a good way to prevent disease.
- Keaton Shiveley
  
  I agree that we should be able to modify the DNA in human embryos to prevent the spread of mitochondrial diseases. If we are able to do this then it will prevent the spread of these mitochondrial diseases and therefore there would be nothing to treat.
Maria Chavez

I feel like this is something great if this will stop babies from being sick and born with a horrible disease then i agree. I also don’t agree with being able to “design your baby” but this wouldn’t affect the way they look, and if it ever gets to that point then yes i think we should start protesting against it but this could actually stop mitochondrial disease all together by stopping it from passing from generations
Julian Verbo

We shouldn’t modify DNA in the human embryos because there are to many cons in this experiment, such as having defects, potentially having a decline of human genetics and causing the human population to crash in the future. ln conclusion we shouldn’t modify because it may lead into the boundaries of nuclear DNA
- David Flores
  
  Dear Mr. Verbo, after taking those facts in account, it has persuaded to change my point of view on this topic. Even if there is little risk, as one of my references claimed, i don’t think we should risk possibilities like that at all.
Emilio O

I feel like we should not modify humans. Modifying humans can cause many problems in the future. This procedure would most likely be very expensive. Like this article says if this expands to making your child perfect, this can become a toy for the rich and wealthy. Also I believe that we are born how we are, and we should be grateful for life overall like it or not. We should not be going around tampering around with our genetics
Michael T

Honestly, i believe that we should not modify DNA. That is not the beauty of human life. Yeah it could be a “next step” to moving forward to maybe saving the human spices, but we have been for thousands of years and we are not in danger. We lived without it for so many years. Modifying humans can cause problems in the future. We are not perfect, even if you modify us humans.
- Keaton Shiveley
  
  But why wouldn’t we save thousands of babies’ lives if we could? The point of the procedure isn’t to make humans perfect by any means, it is to prevent mothers from giving mitochondrial diseases to their children so that the children can live healthy lives.
Juan Barraza

I agree because there would be least diseases. One thing that I didn’t like is only wealthy people can afford it. I think all people should have it available for ever one.
- Keaton Shiveley
  
  So you think that insurance companies should pay for the procedure?
Daisy Gonzalez

Why would anyone want to “design” their child? What if your child got lost how could anyone help them find you? But I completely understand if you wanted to prevent from passing on a uncureable disease to your offspring, I feel like this could be a great way to prevent disease, but it could also be an easy way for people who have the money to modify their babies apearance but I honestly can’t pick a side.
Keaton Shiveley

Save babies lives by allowing the safe modification of DNA in human embryos to prevent the spread of mitochondrial diseases
David Flores

Yes, legalize three parent embryos. There is little risk, and has the potential to effectively prevent mutated mitochondrial DNA from being passed onto your children.
Nora Martinez Garcia

I do not agree because who can say for sure that it will be used only for the avoidance of heredity illness? We should care about it because it’s happening in the planet we live.
- Emily M
  
  What else can it be used for? Its a different procedure than the one that can alter a persons physical or personal traits
ValerieG

I don’t believe Mitochondrial DNA modification to prevent disease should be legal because the fact is scientists don’t know if it’s safe or successful until the baby is actually born. Why would someone want to risk causing more harm to an innocent baby? Also, by allowing scientists to “cure” a baby while it’s still in the womb can open the doors to crazy ideas such as creating perfect humans. This is unethical and should be banned.
- Nora Martinez Garcia
  
  Agree!
—Alejandro J—

I don’t see why we shouldn’t try to eliminate the possibilities of genetic disorders or diseases, this is one of the greatest things I’ve ever heard of.
Anthony T.

I have mixed feelings about modifying DNA in the embryo. Modifying the DNA could save many lives from the mitochondria disease. However the modified DNA could cause bigger problems to the baby than the mitochondria disease.
Kleiber Marroquin Sarceno

People shouldn’t be able to alter human embryo genes. Modifying the genes would most likely develop diseases that we’ve never seen before. We’ve come this far without having to alter any human genes and it’s not time to start doing it now.
- —Alejandro J—
  
  -_-
  - Ruth Esparza
    
    Well said, I agree.
    - Kleiber Marroquin Sarceno
      
      I see how it is…
Ruth Esparza

I personally think that we should not use DNA Modification on our babies. Doctors can’t assure us that this new experiment that they are trying on our babies can eventually hurt them in the future. I rather think about my child’s well being than trying this new “three-person embryo”.
- Emily R.
  
  Agreed
Curtis Francis

I have mixed feelings about modifying DNA in an embryo. It might cause a lot of problems.But it may help kids not have any mitochondrial disease.
Esperanza Godinez

I’m not sure whether to modify the DNA embryo. It can possibly lead to dangerous affects to the embryo. But it can possibly “open the doors to designing certain personalities and enhancing specific abilities of the embryo.”
Emily R.

People should not be able to modify DNA embryos. This could cause human population to crash in long term. People could also take advantage of this creating a “perfect” child.
Emily M

We should not prevent lives from being saved and grief from being had because we don’t trust people to make the right decision regarding modifying a child’s physical and/or personal attributes.
Shawn Le

I think that it depends on the parents decision. But, my personal opinion is that we should. I mean if your child in does have abnormalities what would change you from loving him/her. Also having your child alive is so much better than having it dead. Because no one should have to bury their own child. Lastly I think its really cool how far we’ve come in science.
Araceli Zepeda

People should not modify DNA embryos. Babies have been perfectly fine so far without it so why start it now. It can bring a horrible disease in the future. People would look at it as an advantage to create their dream baby.
- Shawn Le
  
  But what about the babies that die, from abnormalities in Mitochondria DNA
Marquise R

I have mixed feelings about modifying DNA in a embryo. It might cause a lot of problems but it may help kids not get mitochondrial disease.
- nick S
  
  yes? no?
nick S

The idea of modifying the human body to supposedly save lives is a very interesting idea and is a huge step forward in technology, but based on what I’ve learned I would not touch the natural evolution of human beings.
Owen Waldron

I think that we should modify embryos if it would prevent something that would be undesirable in the child such as a mental illness or physical disability. However we should not modify them just because we want our child to better better at sports or better in school. If we did do that then it would create a world of people that are not different and the world could possibly go into a state where one illness or predator could eliminate the human race. Maybe i’m going a little far but in other words it would make a world of little to know genetically difference. Also like the article states “it would make a greater margin between the rich and the poor.” I personally feel this could be a step forward into preventing mental and physical illness, but could also be a step into something that might not be quite as great as the idea seems.
Misael Pena

i think we should not because only wealthy people might only have the privilege to modify DNA embryo.
Katia Torres

We should modify DNA in human eggs or embryos with the sole purpose of preventing mitochondrial diseases. This will give women who carry mitochondrial diseases the opportunity to have healthy babies.The DNA modification will eliminate unhealthy or fatal diseases in newborns and ensure that every child is born healthy and has the opportunity to live a long, healthy life.
Guest

I don’t think
John P

We should modify DNA in human eggs or embryos in order to prevent diseases. This will help women like Sharron Bernard, from Sunderland, who lost all seven of her children to mitochondrial diseases have children.
Alex Y.

I don’t think so. Parents should find out, before getting pregnant, what the possible diseases are and how likely it is that their baby will have one. If the disease would be life-threatening to the child, there’s other ways of having children, like adopting. For parents, I’m sure having a healthy baby of their own is their dream, but unfortunately there’s too many risks and the benefits do not outweigh the drawbacks. For example, it will be less common that people have certain diseases and disabilities, so when people do have them, it will be obvious who is wealthy and who is not. Having a perfect, disease-free society would be amazing, but disease is a part of life and we can’t just completely alter society because people want their children to be healthy.
abby p

we should not modify human eggs because it’s wrong and we shouldn’t mess with mother nature
Ofaloto Sili

We should NOT modify DNA in human eggs or embryos for it can change your child completely. Your child wouldn’t be their “true self”. Also, scientists never fully said that modifying DNA in embryos were safe or will be completely successful. It may not sound as bad now, but our human race will change dramatically in the future if we allow this.
Epeli Mataele

I have mixed feelings about modifying DNA because it can help mothers kids live a longer and healthier life. But, on the other it can can create a new species and who knows that they can use it as a weapon. So my answer is no, to be on the safe side…
- Epeli Mataele
  
  aye
Evan Seagull

i don’t think we should mess around with human eggs because they could of been made like that for a reason and its kinda just wrong to go into someone and fix there egg.
Guillermo Ardon Garcia

I think they should do mitochondrial DNA modification to the eggs or embryos, because it can eliminate any fatal diseases to your newborn. Mitochondrial DNA Modification can make the baby immune to a disease, and also prolong the life of the child and make his lifetime last.
Mariela G

We should not modify DNA in human eggs or embryos because it may affect their personality or athletic abilities
Maggie W

I have mixed emotions about this subject. I think it is wrong to modify a person’s genetics. If we start modifying genetics who knows what scientists will want to do with embryos later in the future. On the other hand, If a woman’s mitochondrial DNA does not work properly, and they have a child I don’t think the child should have to suffer with something that could’ve been “scientifically fixed” before they were born. So this subject crosses that line of ethics. I personally would never do this, because based on my beliefs God created everyone the way he wanted them. So I would never alter genetics in someone, but I don’t think I would judge those who did it. #AJHSHardee
- Naomi W
  
  If God created everyone the way he wanted them, then he wanted certain people to suffer and die before they could commit a sin? It seems terrible that God would do this to people, but of course he works in “mysterious ways”. People would put limits to how much DNA is changed, and laws will be passed to prevent such “designer babies”.
Jacobs_MHS

@KQEDEdspace I do not think we should try to modify DNA in embryos. This could become a serious problem if people start to try developing the “perfect” genetic make up. I do believe it wouldn’t be wrong to make sure an embryo didn’t have a disease. My only concern is the potential Hitler world we could create by being able to modify DNA. So, should we risk modifying DNA to save a few from diseases? #APESwithHUTH #DoNowHabits
ProGamer

Certainly. And take note of what I am about to say, I am not pushing my beliefs on you, take it or leave it, but understand my focus as I have tried to understand yours.
I absolutely believe that we should be allowed to alter and change the DNA makeup of children before they are born, still in the fetal state. Why not? It certainly doesn’t contradict my belief in God because I think the notion that God “works in mysterious ways” is just something the church tells people to avoid having to give answers to questions that they have failed to understand. If we end up being capable to safely and effectively alter DNA to make healthy children and even give certain traits to them, I certainly don’t believe that contradicts God’s plan for them because it in fact did happen. We are mere human instruments acting out God’s plan whether people realize it or not, so if we save a person or kill them , it was obviously in God’s plan and will to do so. On another note, I completely believe that people who could be suitable parents should be allowed to procreate without the worries that their children will potentially have life breaking DNA abnormalities.
ken rose

The reality is the whole human race is in serious crises from Molecular degeneration. were seeing a viral meltdown, we are all riddled with pathogens, disease, and neurological disorders, all down to the loss of DNA base’s. And now its running out of control, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. Now check out the Journal of Neurological disease’s. Good luck.

KQED Education