Viewpoints: If True, First Gene-Editing Of Babies Is Seriously Wrong On Many Fronts; Lessons On The Burden Of Caregiving

Newsweek: China Announces First Gene-Edited Babies: Scientist’s Claim Is Premature, Dangerous And Irresponsible 
A scientist in China claims to have produced the world’s first genome-edited babies by altering their DNA to increase their resistance to HIV. …If true, this is a significant advance in genetic science, but there are some very serious problems with this news. First, the research has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal so we cannot be sure of the exact details of what has been done. Instead, the scientist made the claims to the Associated Press, and the journalists involved haven’t been able to independently verify them. The parents of the allegedly gene-edited babies declined to be interviewed or identified. (Joyce Harper, 11/27)

Arkansas Democrat Gazette: Building The Perfect Beast
A scientist on mainland China claims to have altered the DNA of twin girls in an attempt to make them more resistant to HIV, the AIDS virus. He says he’s been tinkering with DNA for several couples, resulting in that one pregnancy. Gene editing is banned in the United States, but that’s not keeping scientists awake at night in China. ..If what this scientist claims is true, then mankind could be looking at a revolution of sorts. Of course the practice of ethics will have to be revolutionized, too. Or should we think about that minor detail? Can we safely leave all of that up to scientists, or lawmakers in various countries? Yes, some will see this as a form of medicine, and genetic diseases will be a thing of the past, like polio. Others see a slippery slope–and eugenics. (11/27)

Stat: Gene Drive Should Be A Nonprofit Technology — At Least For Now 
Gene drive and other methods of editing the genomes of wild organisms could save millions of lives and prevent billions of animals from suffering each year. But advances that are intended to alter the shared environment must be developed and used wisely, if at all. For the foreseeable future, that means by nonprofits. Gene drive is a ubiquitous natural phenomenon in which genetic elements are inherited more often than usual, allowing them to quickly spread through wild populations even if they don’t help organisms reproduce. Engineered gene drives use modern genome editing tools such as CRISPR to duplicate this effect. Unlike a normal edit, gene drive systems could lastingly alter or suppress local or global populations of a target species, potentially eradicating insect-borne diseases, healing damaged ecosystems, and preventing animal suffering. (Kevin M. Esvelt, 11/27)

Stat: ‘What Choice Do We Have?’: The Difficult Burden Of Family Caregivers 
The meeting with my patient’s family is about to start. Her father smiles hopefully in my direction while her mother clutches her purse to her chest. They must be anxious. Their daughter, Nohely, is nearly 30 years old, with cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. It sounds like she had a good life before things went downhill: a day program that she enjoyed during the week, friends and teachers who cared about her, Zumba class with her father on the weekends, and loving parents. Then a cough turned into pneumonia. (Daniela Lamas, 11/27)

San Francisco Chronicle: Gavin Newsom Will Not Fulfill His Health Care Promise
Candidate Gavin Newsom promised the people of California that he would get them universal health care. Gov. Gavin Newsom is not going to fulfill that promise. And that’s fine. He won’t be the first politician to make a commitment on the campaign trail that didn’t happen once he took office. He certainly won’t be the last. (Dan Schnur, 11/26)

News & Record: Expand Medicaid 
As many as 670,000 North Carolinians could gain sorely needed Medicaid coverage if Gov. Roy Cooper and members of both parties in the legislature will work together to help them.Now that voters have restored some balance to the state’s power structure, that idea isn’t so far-fetched anymore. Voters elected enough Democrats on Nov. 6 to break the Republican supermajorities in the legislature, meaning that Cooper now has a credible threat of veto and Republicans won’t necessarily get their way on every issue. (11/25)