Customer Reviews

Engineering the Human Germline: An Exploration of the Science and Ethics of Altering the Genes We Pass to Our Children

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Important developments in the rapidly-changing field of human genetics are in the newspaper virtually every day, but the underlying ethical and moral issues seem to remain constant from year to year. This book does a very fine job of exploring those concerns and examining the larger implications of human "germline" engineering.

Although it also contains additional related essays, "Engineering the Human Germline" basically seems to be an edited transcript of a thought-provoking symposium (of the same name) which a thousand or so others and I attended at UCLA in March 1998. During that public event, an impressive panel of experts delivered intelligent, understandable lectures, then debated the great promises and dangers which might result from altering the genes which get passed to our children, grandchildren, etc. (such theoretical alteration of genes, in a nutshell, is what "germline" genetic engineering is). "Engineering the Human Germline" proves to be a worthy record of that symposium.

Some say the human gene pool is a sacred thing and that we should never "play God." Clearly, if you monkey around with the genetic code of an early-state embryo, you might wind up with a monstrosity on your hands. But what if (at some point in the future) you knew exactly what you were doing when you corrected (or requested the correction of) a pre-embryo's faulty genetic code? What if, as a result of your intervention, the resulting human being neither developed a deadly or life-shattering genetic disease (that it would have inherited, otherwise), nor passed the faulty gene(s) on to the next generation? The value of this promise seems to be at the core of what's explored by the numerous contributors of "Engineering the Human Germline."

At one point in this book we have a very outspoken James Watson (the 1962 Nobel-winning co-discoverer of DNA structure who also helped establish the Human Genome Project) saying, "It's common sense to try to develop it <germline engineering>... If we could make better human beings by knowing how to add genes, why shouldn't we do it? What's wrong with it? Who is telling us not to do it?... We should be honest and say that we shouldn't just accept things that are incurable. I just think, 'What would make someone else's life better?'"

All in all, "Engineering the Human Germline" is a balanced, intelligent, readable resource for professionals, students or the average citizen who wants to know more about the groundbreaking developments in human genetics and the surrounding issues which will affect us all.

This is an excellent review of the issues raised with manipulation of human stem cells. It covers all kinds of scenarios and sees them through various perspectives. The book is enriched by essays from distinguish authorities in complementary areas. Everyone gives their opinion and explains their point of view in a non-techincal language. Besides it includes a very interesting interview with a panel of personalities such as James Watson. I do not like long reviews, so this would be short too, just to finish a last warning, this is not the latest publication on the subject and since its publication tons of related work has been done. This is important so if you want to be updated you will certainly need recent information, nevertheless this covers all in an excellet manner, I highly recommend it.