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Comment on Scientists Seek Ban on Method of Editing the Human Genome

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I worked in a next-gen DNA sequencing lab (as a sysadmin), and learned a lot while I was there. One of the primary things I took away from it was that the human genome is it's various interactions with other organisms (microbiome) is incredibly complex and difficult to understand in an interrelated way. I would say don't ban it, but rather put regulations that require extremely extensive oversight and testing.

It's the same reason I criticize GMO products (worked with big agriculture geneticists before going into bioinformatics), namely that the testing periods are so short and lack oversight is so nonexistent that it is the unforeseen consequences that make me very wary of GMO foods.

We need to just be able to admit when a technology is very dangerous, and instead of hiding it away, open it up to as many eyes as possible, and fund the testing as much as possible. The key point for me though is the time factor. Testing over extended periods of time (1,5,10,20 years) is a must for such dangerous scientific advancements.

Luckily sequencing and modification are becoming cheaper and more reliable by the year, to the point that I am pretty sure that your local doctors office is going to have a sequencer before 2020.

I can't wait till my non-compete is up in a few months and I can get more involved.

Did you delete your reddit account?

I did indeed, because I got into a tiff with someone and I like to burn accounts fairly often. It sorta sucks to see accounts go away, but I don't like the string of correlation being too easy. Also, are you stalking me?

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