AIRLINK 62.48 Increased By ▲ 2.05 (3.39%)
BOP 5.36 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.19%)
CNERGY 4.58 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.43%)
DFML 15.50 Increased By ▲ 0.66 (4.45%)
DGKC 66.40 Increased By ▲ 1.60 (2.47%)
FCCL 17.59 Increased By ▲ 0.73 (4.33%)
FFBL 27.70 Increased By ▲ 2.95 (11.92%)
FFL 9.27 Increased By ▲ 0.21 (2.32%)
GGL 10.06 Increased By ▲ 0.10 (1%)
HBL 105.70 Increased By ▲ 1.49 (1.43%)
HUBC 122.30 Increased By ▲ 4.78 (4.07%)
HUMNL 6.60 Increased By ▲ 0.06 (0.92%)
KEL 4.50 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-1.1%)
KOSM 4.48 Decreased By ▼ -0.09 (-1.97%)
MLCF 36.20 Increased By ▲ 0.79 (2.23%)
OGDC 122.92 Increased By ▲ 0.53 (0.43%)
PAEL 23.00 Increased By ▲ 1.09 (4.97%)
PIAA 29.34 Increased By ▲ 2.05 (7.51%)
PIBTL 5.80 Decreased By ▼ -0.14 (-2.36%)
PPL 107.50 Increased By ▲ 0.13 (0.12%)
PRL 27.25 Increased By ▲ 0.74 (2.79%)
PTC 18.07 Increased By ▲ 1.97 (12.24%)
SEARL 53.00 Decreased By ▼ -0.63 (-1.17%)
SNGP 63.21 Increased By ▲ 2.01 (3.28%)
SSGC 10.80 Increased By ▲ 0.05 (0.47%)
TELE 9.20 Increased By ▲ 0.71 (8.36%)
TPLP 11.44 Increased By ▲ 0.86 (8.13%)
TRG 70.86 Increased By ▲ 0.95 (1.36%)
UNITY 23.62 Increased By ▲ 0.11 (0.47%)
WTL 1.28 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
BR100 6,944 Increased By 65.8 (0.96%)
BR30 22,827 Increased By 258.6 (1.15%)
KSE100 67,142 Increased By 594.3 (0.89%)
KSE30 22,090 Increased By 175.1 (0.8%)
Technology

Bill Gates warns gene editing can ‘make inequity worse’

Gene editing has gained a lot of popularity in previous years, promising new approaches to treat human diseases in
Published January 8, 2019

Gene editing has gained a lot of popularity in previous years, promising new approaches to treat human diseases in upcoming years. However, philanthropist Bill Gates has warned about the technology, saying that it could raise ‘ethical questions’.

Gates recently wrote a blog post of his year wrap-up in which he talked about some serious issues, one of which being gene editing which he warned ‘could make inequity worse especially if it is available only for wealthy people’.

Gene editing is what allows scientists to make enormous changes to a person’s DNA, specifically to fix a defective gene. Ethical concerns have always been there, but grew more after recently a Chinese scientist came under attack when he claimed to create the first genetically edited babies. His work raised eyebrows after researchers called it concerning and unethical since it would allow genetic changes to be passes down to other generations.

Ethics body gives green signal for creating genetically altered babies

Gates' warning seemed to have been keeping in view the recent issue. Gates said that he agreed that the scientist’s work went too far, but the good thing is that it encourages people to learn and talk about gene editing. “This might be the most important public debate we haven’t been having widely enough.”

“The ethical questions are enormous. Gene editing is generating a ton of optimism for treating and curing diseases, including some that our foundation works on. But the technology could make inequity worse, especially if it is available only for wealthy people.”

He further mentioned that it is surprising how these issues have not gathered much attention from the general public. Comparing it with artificial intelligence, Gates stated, “Today, AI is the subject of vigorous debate. Gene editing deserves at least as much of the spotlight as AI.”

Apart from gene editing, Gates also mentioned about progression in ways to stop Alzheimer’s disease, efforts done to eradicate polio, how renewable energy is working and that issue of emissions need to be solved. He also talked about the global epidemic that is most likely to kill people, most probably in the form of flu and how we need to pay attention to it. He concluded the letter by talking about his New Year’s resolutions of balancing between privacy and information and the use of technology in education.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019

Comments

Comments are closed.