{"id":140664,"date":"2024-10-30T19:53:44","date_gmt":"2024-10-30T14:23:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=140664"},"modified":"2024-10-31T17:44:16","modified_gmt":"2024-10-31T12:14:16","slug":"heritable-human-genome-editing","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/heritable-human-genome-editing","title":{"rendered":"Heritable Human Genome Editing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>South Africa<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> amends guidelines to <\/span><b>allow genetically modified children.<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><strong><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\">South Africa Paves the Way for Heritable Genome Editing<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa has amended its <\/span><b>Ethics<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in <\/span><b>Health Research Guidelines (May 2024)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to <\/span><b>allow research<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that could result in <\/span><b>genetically modified children<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, positioning it as the <\/span><b>first country to explicitly permit heritable human genome editing.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>In November 2018, the media reported on a Chinese scientist who had created the world\u2019s first gene-edited babies using CRISPR technology.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Heritable human genome editing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> remains a <\/span><b>globally contentious issue<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, especially since then.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Overview of Human Genome Editing<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Definition: Genome Editing <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">involves <\/span><b>precise modifications of DNA sequences<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, offering targeted therapy with fewer side effects.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Types of Genome Editing:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It includes <\/span><b>two main types:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Somatic Genome Editing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Alters<\/span><b> non-reproductive cells, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with <\/span><b>modifications that are not inheritable.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Considered less controversial and is <\/span><b>allowed <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in countries like the <\/span><b>U.S., U.K., and China<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for treating diseases like cancer and genetic disorders.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Germline Genome Editing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: It is also called <\/span><b>Heritable human genome editing.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>This type of genome editing modifies reproductive cells<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, producing <\/span><b>heritable changes that impact future generations and, theoretically, human evolution itself.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Globally prohibited due to ethical and safety concerns, as changes are heritable and could have unknown generational effects.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Examples:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Nations like <\/span><b>Germany, Canada, and Australia<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have <\/span><b>statutory prohibitions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on modifying human embryos\u2019 germline cells.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Current Techniques Involved in Heritable Human Genome Editing (HHGE)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) \u2013 Cas9 : <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the most widely used tool for genome editing.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CRISPR-Cas9 functions as <\/span><b>molecular &#8220;scissors&#8221;<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that <\/span><b>can cut DNA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at <\/span><b>specific locations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, allowing <\/span><b>scientists to add, delete, or replace genes.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Prime Editing:<\/b> <b>Prime editing is a more precise form of CRISPR <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that reduces off-target effects and allows for more accurate corrections to the genome.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s considered safer, particularly in germline editing, because it minimises unintended alterations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Base Editing: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another variant of CRISPR, base editing allows <\/span><b>researchers to change single DNA bases without causing double-strand breaks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, enhancing <\/span><b>precision in germline editing.<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>TALENs (Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TALENs are another gene editing technique that can be programmed to target specific DNA sequences.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They are a class of<\/span><b> engineered DNA-binding proteins<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that facilitate <\/span><b>targeted genome editing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by inducing <\/span><b>double-strand breaks<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at specific locations in the DNA.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Applications of HHGE<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Disease Prevention:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> HHGE could be used to <\/span><b>prevent heritable genetic diseases<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> like <\/span><b>Huntington&#8217;s disease, cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and certain forms of muscular dystrophy by <\/span><b>altering genes in embryos to remove disease-causing mutations.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Improving Reproductive Health Outcomes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> HHGE might address infertility caused by genetic factors, making it easier for some individuals to conceive without relying on extensive assisted reproductive technologies.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Example: Editing certain genes associated with recurrent miscarriages could help in reducing pregnancy loss.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Enhancing Immunity to Diseases:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It could <\/span><b>introduce genetic modifications<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that <\/span><b>enhance immunity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to <\/span><b>certain infectious diseases<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, like HIV or influenza, potentially <\/span><b>reducing susceptibility in future generations.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Delayed Onset of Age-Related Diseases:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> HHGE could delay or prevent genetic markers of age-related diseases such as <\/span><b>Alzheimer\u2019s or Parkinson\u2019s, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">potentially extending both lifespan and healthspan.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Adaptation to Environmental Stresses:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> HHGE could enhance genetic resilience to environmental stresses, such as <\/span><b>high altitudes, extreme temperatures, or pollution exposure, enabling populations to thrive in changing or extreme climates.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.8996%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt; color: #000000;\"><b>Conventions Related to\u00a0 Heritable Human Genome Editing<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>The Oviedo Convention:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It is the <\/span><b>only international legally binding instrument<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on the <\/span><b>protection of human rights in the biomedical field.\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It draws on the <\/span><b>principles established by the European Convention on Human Rights<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in the field of biology and medicine.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It <\/span><b>bans heritable human genome editing.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This declaration was adopted by<\/span><b> UNESCO<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in <\/span><b>1997<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, to emphasise the importance of human dignity and the<\/span><b> right to not be subjected to discrimination based on genetic information.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>\u00a0WHO&#8217;s Human Genome Editing Framework: Published in 2021, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">offers guidelines for the ethical and safe use of genome editing technologies, <\/span><b>including heritable human genome editing (HHGE).<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Challenges Associated with Heritable Human Genome Editing (HHGE)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ethical and Moral Concerns:<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.8982%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Eugenics is the <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">study or practice of<\/span><b> improving the human species by <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">selectively mating people with specific desirable hereditary traits.<\/span><\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Designer Babies: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It opens the possibility of <\/span><b>\u201cdesigner babies\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and raises questions about the essence of humanity and individual identity.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <\/span><b>designer baby<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a baby <\/span><b>genetically engineered <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in vitro for <\/span><b>specially selected traits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which can vary from lowered disease-risk to gender selection.The <\/span><b>possibility of selecting or enhancing traits<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (such as intelligence or physical characteristics) opens ethical debates about <\/span><b>parental control, societal pressures, and the potential loss of genetic diversity.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Risk of Misuse:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The possibility of misuse for <\/span><b>creating genetic advantages (e.g., physical or cognitive enhancements) raises the risk of a new form of eugenics<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or even biological weapons if used with harmful intentions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Intergenerational Consent: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As changes are heritable, f<\/span><b>uture generations cannot consent to modifications made to their genetic code<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, raising questions about autonomy and rights.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Equity and Social Justice:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Access to HHGE might be <\/span><b>limited to wealthy individuals or nations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, exacerbating social inequalities and leading to a <\/span><b>societal divide between genetically modified and non-modified individuals.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Multigenerational Effects: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modifications could have unforeseen consequences that <\/span><b>only become apparent in future generations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>creating potential health risks that are difficult to trace and address.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Technical and Safety Challenges:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Incomplete Knowledge of Genetic Interactions: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The complexity of the human genome means that <\/span><b>altering one gene might inadvertently impact other genes or biological systems in unpredictable ways.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Difficulty in Predicting Phenotypic Outcomes: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While certain traits are linked to specific genes, the <\/span><b>full phenotypic (observable) impact of modifying these genes is not always clear<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, leading to potential mismatches between the intended and actual results.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Example:<\/b> <b>Unintended edits can introduce new health problems or genetic disorders.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Regulatory and Legal Challenges<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Lack of Global Consensus: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Majority of <\/span><b>European Union countries<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have <\/span><b>ratified the Oviedo Convention.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Enforcement Difficulties:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Even in places with clear legal prohibitions, enforcement of HHGE bans is complex, particularly as technologies become more accessible and potential applications expand.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Ethics of Scientific Responsibility: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scientific advancements often outpace regulatory frameworks, creating gaps in oversight that may lead to unregulated or unauthorised experiments, as seen in the \u201cCRISPR babies\u201d case.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Evolutionary Challenges:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Genetic Homogenisation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Reducing genetic diversity through HHGE could increase <\/span><b>vulnerability to environmental changes<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or diseases that<\/span><b> exploit genetic uniformity.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Disruption of Natural Selection:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> By intervening in human evolution, HHGE could <\/span><b>reduce the adaptive capacity of the human population<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, potentially impacting long-term survival and evolution.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.7966%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt; color: #000000;\"><b>Case Study: South Africa&#8217;s Approach to Heritable Human Genome Editing (HHGE)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Amendment of Ethics Guidelines: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa has r<\/span><b>evised its Ethics in Health Research <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Guidelines to <\/span><b>permit research that could lead to the birth of gene-edited babies.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Motivations for Embracing HHGE: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many South African ethicists support HHGE research due to <\/span><b>recent advancements in treating sickle cell disease using genome editing technology<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which shows promise in improving health outcomes for affected children.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Concerns About Scientific Tourism: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Questions persist about the<\/span><b> potential for scientific tourism,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> where researchers from other countries<\/span><b> may relocate to South Africa to take advantage of its more permissive regulatory environment for HHGE research.<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Indian Laws on Heritable Human Genome Editing (HHGE)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Current Status of HHGE<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Prohibition of Germline Editing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: In India, <\/span><b>human germline editing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>reproductive cloning<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are <\/span><b>banned <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">by the<\/span><b> National Guidelines for Stem Cell Research.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Somatic Gene Editing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><b>Permitted under specific conditions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; regulated like other biomedical research.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Ethical Guidelines<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>ICMR Guidelines<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Advocate for<\/span><b> ethical practices in genetic research<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, addressing concerns about the potential misuse of HHGE.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>National Guidelines for Stem Cell Research: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">envisages setting up of a <\/span><b>National Apex Committee for Stem Cell Research and Therapy (NAC-SCRT)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to monitor and oversee activities at national level and Institutional Committee for <\/span><b>Stem Cell Research (IC-SCR) at institutional level.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Regulatory Framework<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Biotechnology Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Proposed establishment to regulate <\/span><b>genetic research, including HHGE.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Draft guidelines on <\/span><b>stem cell research and genetic interventions emphasise ethical considerations.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Global Regulatory Landscape for Heritable Human Genome Editing (HHGE)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Summit on Human Genome Editing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The International Summit on Human Genome Editing\u00a0 gathers scientists, ethicists, policymakers, and public representatives to <\/span><b>explore the scientific, ethical, and social aspects of genome editing.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The committee urged a<\/span><b> &#8220;responsible translational pathway&#8221; for clinical research<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>independent oversight, compelling medical need,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> long-term follow-up plans, and consideration of societal effects.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Over 70 countries currently prohibit heritable genome editing, often through a combination of guidelines, laws, and treaties. Some of them are:\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>United States: Somatic Editing Allowed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">; <\/span><b>bans germline editing<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> via the<\/span><b> Dickey-Wicker Amendment.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>United Kingdom: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allows somatic editing research but prohibits germline editing for reproductive purposes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>China:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Stricter regulations<\/span><b> after the 2018 &#8220;CRISPR babies&#8221;<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> case; <\/span><b>bans germline editing for reproduction but allows somatic editing research.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Australia: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prohibits HHGE under the <\/span><b>Prohibition of Human Cloning for Reproduction Act.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Global Initiatives: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WHO and UNESCO recommend <\/span><b>caution and suggest a moratorium on HHGE for reproduction;<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> calls for an international regulatory body to harmonise standards.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Way Forward<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Need for International Regulation and Diverse Approaches: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A pluralistic, polycentric regulatory approach is necessary due to cultural differences, with stronger international frameworks to harmonise regulations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Prioritise Therapeutic Applications: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on using HHGE for serious genetic diseases, with clear criteria for <\/span><b>therapeutic versus non-therapeutic uses.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Defining \u201ctherapeutic\u201d purposes could help ethically guide regulations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Implement Ethical Oversight via establishment of International Gene-Editing Ethics Commission: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create independent ethics committees to <\/span><b>review HHGE research proposals and ensure ethical compliance, develop standardised gene editing regulations etc.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Promote Global Health Equity: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure equitable access to HHGE technologies and share resources internationally, especially in underserved regions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Carefully Regulated Germline Editing: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Careful regulation might be preferable to total bans, allowing therapeutic germline editing for serious diseases.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Policy and Public Awareness: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Policymakers and the public need <\/span><b>ongoing dialogue to address the societal, ethical, and legal ramifications as the technology advances.<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Advancing Safety Measures: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Continued research into precision tools (like base and prime editing) is essential for improving HHGE\u2019s safety.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><\/b><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Heritable human genome editing (HHGE) can <\/span><b>prevent genetic disorders but raises ethical issues of safety, consent, and equity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><b>Effective regulation <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is essential to maximise its benefits while <\/span><b>safeguarding human dignity and genetic diversity.<\/b><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100.043%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 130.811%; 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