Use of the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tool poses ethical questions about eradiating inherited diseases versus creating so-called ‘designer babies’. Pippa Sipanoun, who undertook a master’s degree in medical ethics and law, examines ethical and clinical arguments for and against

Background

It is illegal in the UK to alter genomes or embryos used to conceive a child, but last year one group of scientists in London was given a licence to genetically edit donated human embryos to improve understanding of human embryo development.