Designer babies: Christians warned not to ‘misuse’ the bible to reject scientific advances

Nov 20, 2019 by Jill

by Heather Preston, Premier:

A Christian doctor and theologian says Christians are too quick to accuse the scientific community of playing God as a medical journal announces gene editing in the womb could become a reality in the next two years.

Analysis published in the medical ethics journal Bioethics has claimed the risks involved in gene modification are now low enough to warrant its use with human embryos.

Writing in the journal, Dr Kevin Smith says an “ethically-sound attempt” could be less than two years away.

Researchers from Abertay University in Dundee said research in this area would offer hope to parents at risk of transmitting serious genetic disease to their future children.

Recent studies show that genetic modification is the only way to deal with multiple disease-associated genes within an embryo.

Dr Trevor Stammers from the Christian Medical Fellowship told Premier the medical development isn’t as extreme as some might think.

“Changing genes in people who carry diseases is one thing,” Stammers said.

“Designer babies, which conjures up being able to choose children who are good at the violin and are going to win the Olympics is a totally different matter which is light-years away.”

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