Every Baby is Already Perfect – Stop Trying to Genetically Engineer Them

It might be illegal in the United States to genetically edit embryos, but that hasn’t stopped some well-funded entities from working towards that goal – as well as looking elsewhere to do it.

He Jiankui is a Chinese biophysicist who spent three years in jail for engineering embryos that he claims were immune to HIV. The embryos were implanted and eventually delivered. Jiankui claims they are all healthy. Two of them are twin girls named Lulu and Nana. Jiankui was released from a Chinese prison in 2022.

Also known as “CRISPR Babies,” the gene-editing technology is touted to wipe out any number of dreaded genetic conditions that countless individuals have suffered from over the years. The “CRISPR” acronym stands for “Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats.”

From eliminating heart defects to sickle cell anemia to blindness to cancer, those who promote the science champion it as a complete game-changer. Yet, other scientists warn of the many unintended dangers and consequences associated with it. It’s the old adage of solve one problem and create ten more – from the possibility of genetic mutations to the introduction of new diseases, the risks and unknowns are significant.

Last week’s Wall Street Journal spotlighted several companies that are nevertheless plowing ahead into this ominous “brave new world” – and all thanks to big money backers in Silicon Valley.

One of the companies featured is called “Preventive” and it’s being supported by Sam Altman of OpenAI and Brian Armstrong, co-founder of Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange and digital currency wallet company.

The Journal reports that Armstrong was believed to have floated the idea of creating a child in secret – and only revealing it after the fact and showing just how well everything went in the laboratory. A spokesperson for “Preventive” denied the accusation. While acknowledging it was discussed, the representative said Armstrong disagreed with the proposal.

“He would never recommend Preventive operate this way,” the spokesperson told the paper.

At the same time, Lucas Harrington, Preventive’s CEO, is open about the company’s desire to work towards the goal of genetically engineered human beings. Reports have suggested the company is considering setting up shop in the United Arab Emirates.

“We are committed to transparency in our research and will publish our findings, whether positive or negative, before considering any potential clinical trials,” Harrington said. “[Secrecy] is completely contrary to how we are approaching this research.”

Advocates for genetic engineering regularly discuss their desire to eliminate disease, thus the name of this one company – “Preventive.” Yet, if you can allegedly prevent something – you can ostensibly also allow or alter any number of things ranging from hair and eye color, body type and even, presumably, intelligence. Designer babies will inevitably follow.

Another tried-and-true adage is that history repeats itself, and that’s certainly the case when it comes to this latest effort to somehow scientifically design human beings. Advocates for eugenics – the push to develop desirable human characteristics – are among the most despicable actors in world history. From Adolph Hitler to Margaret Sanger, those who have supported better breeding have been summarily dismissed for their destructiveness, and rightly so.

So what has changed? Perhaps the current crop has better PR agents. But another thing that’s happened is the elevation of science over religion. In fact, for many, science is a religion – and the men and women in the labs are the high priests and priestesses who are deciding who will live and who will die.

The genetic engineering of babies in the pursuit of the perfect one is not only dangerous but completely unnecessary. Yes, we live in a fallen world with disease and imperfections, but the Psalmist was right when he wrote we are nevertheless “wonderfully made … my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:14).