In this blog post, we will examine the limits of genetic engineering and the need for social consensus, focusing on the bioethical issues raised by the development of designer baby technology.
Since the dawn of time, humans have imagined a more perfect and healthier life. With the advancement of biotechnology in modern times, these imaginations are gradually becoming a reality, and among them, the arrival of the era of customized babies is undoubtedly a hot topic. A customized baby refers to a baby born with altered traits through genetic modification and conversion of an embryo in the embryonic stage. In the past, this technology was mainly focused on the treatment and prevention of rare congenital diseases and genetic disorders. However, with the recent expansion of the scope of application of this technology, more and more diverse cases are emerging, and the lack of clear guidelines has led to many social and ethical controversies. In this article, we will examine customized babies and the bioethics related to them.
First, let’s look at a case of customized babies in the UK in 2003. A couple in the UK filed a lawsuit to obtain medical permission for customized baby treatment for their 4-year-old son who was suffering from life-threatening malignant anemia. The UK High Court ruled that the use of new technology to save the child’s life was permissible and, amid controversy, approved the customized baby treatment. This ruling has many implications. First, it is significant in that it deemed the rights of a living being that has developed into an individual to be more important than the rights of a living being in the embryonic stage. It placed greater importance on the rights of a child currently suffering from anemia than on those of a customized baby in the embryonic stage. However, what will happen when customized babies develop into individuals, develop their own identities and thoughts, and assert their rights over their own bodies? Even if they are the same individuals, can a life be ended simply because it was born as a customized baby? As customized babies grow as individuals, they will develop instincts for survival and self-awareness. However, if they are deprived of their vital organs and lives simply because they were born as customized babies, this would clearly be murder that violates the dignity of life. To take this idea to the extreme, it would be possible to replace organs that are necessary for treatment but difficult to transplant, such as bone marrow and spinal cord, with organs from customized babies for children with rare or genetic diseases. Furthermore, if this type of use becomes more common, we may face a grim future in which people can replace their own organs using this technology even when there is no serious threat to their lives.
Next, let’s look at the case of customized babies, which goes beyond replacing a single gene that causes a disease to attempting large-scale genetic conversion. In this case, the result would be not just changing a person’s characteristics, but replacing one person with another. In other words, it goes beyond the prevention and treatment of disease, and even physical characteristics such as skin and hair become something that parents can choose. In fact, Harvard University is currently discussing a project called the Second Genome Project, and scientists are already able to synthesize pieces of human DNA at will. Of course, it may be beneficial for babies to be born with traits that are more suited to survival in modern society. However, no one has the right to replace the entire characteristics of another human being simply because it is more suitable or advantageous for survival. The dignity of life itself must be respected and should not be subject to the subjective opinions of others. Furthermore, we have experienced the worst possible situation when the subjective opinions of others have interfered with the birth of life. This is the Nazi eugenics program, which believed that Aryans were the superior race and oppressed the human rights of others and committed atrocities. Of course, the possibility of such an extreme situation occurring in modern society is extremely low.
However, considering that the genes an individual possesses are also the rights that individual has, the birth of customized babies is also likely to be a violation of rights. We have witnessed the chaos that genetically modified organisms have brought to nature. Just as genetically modified agricultural products created superweeds in an attempt to increase crop yields, these organisms have become extinct because they could not adapt to the environment, or they have escaped control and disrupted the balance.
Even with our ability to sequence DNA and manipulate genes for specific purposes, we are still unable to completely control these organisms. If we recklessly alter the human genome, which is not yet fully understood, through natural fertilization, it will shake the entire gene pool of humanity, which has evolved through natural selection. No one can predict or take responsibility for the chaos that this choice will bring.
In this article, we considered the discussion and opinions on customized babies. The technology for creating customized babies still has room for development, and as such, it will require further discussion and agreement. We all have the right to pursue a happy and healthier life, and the technology for creating customized babies could be the key to achieving this. However, if customized baby technology is applied beyond the concept of preventing and treating future diseases, to the point of infringing on the rights of others, it will inevitably become another form of violence in the name of science and technology. Therefore, as we have always done, we must constantly consider the scope of application and bioethics of customized babies.
