Rulli Tina
University of California, Davis, Philosophy Department, Davis, CA.
Bioethics. 2019 Nov;33(9):1072-1082. doi: 10.1111/bioe.12663. Epub 2019 Sep 6.
Given recent advancements in CRISPR-Cas9 powered genetic modification of gametes and embryos, both popular media and scientific articles are hailing CRISPR's life-saving, curative potential for people with serious monogenic diseases. But claims that CRISPR modification of gametes or embryos, a form of germline engineering, has therapeutic value are deeply mistaken. This article explains why reproductive uses of CRISPR, and germline engineering more generally, do not treat or save lives that would otherwise have a genetic disease. Reproductive uses of CRISPR create healthy people whose existence is not inevitable in the first place. Creating healthy lives has distinct and lesser moral value from saving or curing lives that would otherwise have genetic disease. The real value in reproductive uses of CRISPR is in helping a very limited population of people have healthy, genetically related children. This diminished value cannot compete with the concerns in opposition to germline engineering, nor is it worth the investment of research money.
鉴于近期在利用CRISPR - Cas9对配子和胚胎进行基因改造方面取得的进展，大众媒体和科学文章都在称赞CRISPR对患有严重单基因疾病的人具有挽救生命、治愈疾病的潜力。但声称对配子或胚胎进行CRISPR改造（一种生殖系工程形式）具有治疗价值的说法是大错特错的。本文解释了为什么CRISPR在生殖方面的应用，以及更广泛意义上的生殖系工程，并没有治疗或挽救那些原本会患有遗传疾病的生命。CRISPR在生殖方面的应用创造出的健康个体，其存在从一开始就并非不可避免。创造健康的生命与挽救或治愈那些原本会患有遗传疾病的生命相比，具有不同且较低的道德价值。CRISPR在生殖方面应用的真正价值在于帮助极少数人拥有健康的、有基因关联的孩子。这种降低了的价值无法与反对生殖系工程的担忧相抗衡，也不值得投入研究资金。
