El debate ético y de regulación sobre el uso de CRISPR-Cas9 en la línea germinal humana

Introduction: Currently, CRISPR-Cas9 is the most versatile tool in
genetic engineering and, because of its low cost and ability to easily
edit genomes is used by the scientific community. It offers considerable
promises in every biological field, and in the biomedical community especially to cure diseases. However, despite the general
support for its clinical use, there are ethical concerns,
and efficacy and safety issues in the context of its use to
edit the human genome. Objective: To review academic
and lay literature about the concerns and implications to
consider about the use of CRISPR-Cas9 in the human
germline. Methods: The PubMed and Embase databases
were searched using MeSH terms and free terms, as well
as newspapers and books of high circulation. Results:
59 documents were selected according to the inclusion
criteria and from them were created four chapters that
review the technical limitations, the ethical concerns, the
regulatory activity and political and judicial implications
of using CRISPR-Cas9 in the human germline and the
implications for Colombia. Conclusions: Atthough the
technical limitations will be overcome by technological
advances, the ethical concerns are permanent and have
brought statements that go from ban or moratorium, to
its use under strict conditions. Colombia should take
seriously the ethical and regulatory challenges trying to
strengthening the institutional capacities and the public
debate.