The top medical stories of 2017, from cleaner butts to CRISPR bacon

HEALTH

BY JESSICA FIRGER

@jessfirger

FROM ADVANCES IN GENETIC research that could have been lifted from a Michael Crichton novel to hard-nosed health policies and investigations of industries that have a knack for making people very ill, this year delivered some of the most compelling, complicated and controversial news in health and medicine. Here are a few of the stories that dominated the headlines in 2017.

Designer Babies and CRISPR Bacon

→ Some of the freakiest genetic research published this year proved that biology need not be destiny. In August, a team of Oregon-based scientists used a gene-editing technology —CRISPR-Cas9—to alter the genetic makeup of human embryos and eliminate a rare heart disease from their genetic blueprint.

“Unless we change course, 5.6 million young people alive today will die prematurely.”

The landmark study triggered a public conversation on the bioethical implications of germ-line editing, as well as the lack of guidelines or regulations to prevent family planning that includes designer babies.

Scientists this year also used CRISPR on some headlining experiments to alter the DNA of pigs. In one study, a team of researchers edited a common virus from fetal pig genomes and then bred piglets that could one day be a source for xenotransplantation to address the human organ shortage. In another much-discussed study, scientists were able to genetically modify pigs to have less body fat. That could be good news for your breakfast—and your waistline.