• Patricio Santillán-Doherty, Patricia Grether-González, María de Jesús Medina-Arellano, Sarah Chan, Ricardo Tapia-Ibargüengoitia, Ingrid Brena-Sesma, Raymundo Canales-De la Fuente, Jorge Linares-Salgado, Héctor Mendoza-Cárdenas, Luis Muñoz-Fernández, and Rafaella Schiavon.
• Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Ciudad de México, México.
• Gac Med Mex. 2020 Jan 1; 156 (1): 53-59.

AbstractIn this essay, the bioethical implications of the recent genetic manipulation in human embryos with CRISPR-Cas9 to eliminate the CCR5 gene and the birth of a pair of discordant twin girls are analyzed. The experiment was disseminated via social media. The main bioethical flaws identified include the justification of the model, the informed consent process and the lack of disclosure of evident conflicts of interest. The consequences of the experiment on the life of the twins that were born were not properly evaluated, such as the impact on their autonomy, the alleged benefits to be received and the future risks of harm during their lifetime. Having manipulated the germ cell line, the effects on their future offspring were not considered. This type of actions negatively affects the way society conceives science. Genetic engineering should be reserved to the basic experimental context or as clinical research for the correction of known serious diseases of genetic origin under strict regulatory and bioethical supervision and using a gradualist approach in accordance with the advances of gene editing techniques.Copyright: © 2019 Permanyer.

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