CGS in the News

Ethics changes notwithstanding, creating genetically modified babies is still illegal in SA

By Tamsin Metelerkamp [cites CGS' Katie Hasson], Daily Maverick | 11.18.2024

The National Health Research Ethics Council (NHREC) has confirmed that heritable human genome editing (HHGE) remains illegal in South Africa, after changes in the latest version of the South African Ethics in Health Research Guidelines sparked concern among researchers that...

Genetic Selection

South Africa amended its research guidelines to allow for heritable human genome editing

By Françoise Baylis and Katie Hasson, The Conversation | 10.24.2024

A little-noticed change to South Africa’s national health research guidelines, published in May of this year, has put the country on an ethical precipice. The newly added language appears to position the country as the first to explicitly permit...

Policies

US startup charging couples to ‘screen embryos for IQ’

By Hannah Devlin, Tom Burgis, David Pegg, and Jason Wilson, The Guardian [cites CGS’ Katie Hasson] | 10.18.2024

A US startup company is offering to help wealthy couples screen their embryos for IQ using controversial technology that raises...

Genetic Selection

Genome editing for heritable diseases not yet safe, report states

By Ian Sample, The Guardian [cites CGS' Marcy Darnovsky] | 09.03.2020

Powerful genome editing procedures that could prevent parents from passing on heritable diseases to their children are far from ready...

Human Genetic Modification

Landmark Privacy Proposal To Give Consumers Control Over Their Genetic Data Advances To Governor Newsom’s Desk For Signature

By George Thomas, The Government Center Gazette [cites CGS] | 09.01.2020

SACRAMENTO, CA — Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-Santa Ana) announced today that his measure, Senate Bill 980 (SB 980) passed the California...

Policies

$5.5 billion stem cell rescue plan makes November ballot

By David Jensen, Capitol Weekly [cites CGS and Marcy Darnovsky] | 06.22.2020

A $5.5 billion stem cell bond measure qualified this afternoon for the November ballot, but the campaign to win voter...

Stem Cells

Doha Debates turns spotlight on future of genetics

By Anon, Gulf Times [cites CGS' Katie Hasson] | 03.27.2020

The question of where the line should be drawn in human gene editing, and if it should be allowed to...

Human Genetic Modification

white baby crawling on a green background

Designer Babies: Rogue Science or Future Option?

By Dolli Player and Alicia Matsuura, The Daily Universe [Cites CGS' Marcy Darnovsky] | 02.18.2020

In the early 2000s, genome editing seemed like the answer to parents who carried latent genes that could result in...

Human Genetic Modification

latex gloves and a home DNA test swab and vial

Layoffs Result as Consumers Think Twice About DNA Testing

By David Lazarus , Los Angeles Times [Cites CGS' Marcy Darnovsky] | 02.10.2020

These have been rough days for the DNA-testing business — an industry that sprang up seemingly overnight with promises of...

Genomics

Silhouettes of prisoners behind a fence.

The U.S. Government’s Mass Collection of Immigrant DNA Hints at Surveillance Future

By Emily Mullin, Medium One Zero [cites CGS' Katie Hasson] | 01.08.2020

This week, the United States government will begin collecting DNA samples from thousands of people detained by immigration officials, including...

Genomics

Artistic rendering of DNA being severed by CRISPR

Scientist Behind First CRISPR-Modified Babies Sentenced to Three Years in Prison

By Theresa Machemer, Smithsonian Magazine [Cites CGS' Marcy Darnovsky] | 12.31.2019

On Monday, a court in Shenzhen sentenced He Jiankui—the scientist who performed CRISPR gene-editing on twin human embryos—to three years...

Human Genetic Modification