NPR

People Back Editing Genes To Treat Disease, But Are Wary Of Inheritable Changes

Scientists are getting closer to being able to alter people's genes permanently. A survey found that people are more cautious about changes that could be passed on to future generations.
Source: Fotosearch/Getty Images

People generally think that editing human genes might be OK, but most think that there's a clear line that's shouldn't be crossed when it comes to changing traits that would be passed down to new generations, according to a survey reported Thursday.

It's not an abstract question. Earlier this month, gene editing made headlines after scientists in Oregon reported they had successfully corrected a genetic defect in human embryos in the laboratory.

Along with

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