Kenneth W. Krause is a contributing editor and “Science Watch” columnist for the Skeptical Inquirer and science journalist at http://thedotingskeptic.wordpress.com. He may be contacted at krausekc@msn.com.
Should biologists use new gene-editing technology to modify or “correct” the human germline? Will our methods soon prove sufficiently safe and efficient and, if so, for what purposes? Much-celebrated CRISPR gene-editing pioneer Jennifer Doudna recently recalled her initial trepidations over that very prospect: