CRISPR: A Futuristic Tool at the Intersection of Promise and Ethical Controversy in Biotechnology
Abstract
This paper investigates CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) technology, a tool that is revolutionary in the genetic engineering space. It has the power to revolutionize the field of biotechnology, biomedicine, and more. Starting with exploring the history of CRISPR and its power, this paper explores the transition from a simple defensive tool for bacteria to a futuristic biotechnological tool that allows scientists to modify the DNA of organisms precisely. The focus is primarily on the ethical controversy that arose with applying CRISPR to the human genome. The analysis is structured with three main domains of concern: healthcare inequality, "designer babies," and biodiversity impacts. With a thorough examination, this paper provides valuable insights into the debate on CRISPR, questioning the balance between technological advancement and responsible implementation.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Intersect: The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology, and Society
![Creative Commons License](http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/4.0/88x31.png)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).