Abstract

Gene therapy especially newly developed CRISPR gene editing spawns complex conversations, ethically, emotionally, politically, and economically, within and among countries. As new technology makes its way through the experimental development, assessment, refinement and application, it is not too soon to begin the policy and ethical dialogues about how and when and for what purpose it is used. Certainly experiments should continue to assess whether CRISPR is the long sought for means to effective gene therapy. It will probably be used in somatic cell gene therapy trials sooner than later. Policy and ethical discussions ought to precede its use at the germline stage.