Designer babies are the most recent debate in the scientific community. Many think because it's so new it's dangerous for the child while others think it’s a necessary step forward to live longer and evolve. But, genetically modifying babies is dangerous and unethical and should be illegal in every country.

CRISPR

Designer babies is a new technology and may be dangerous for the child. Many researchers say it can threaten the baby’s well-being. According to Jennifer Doudna, the creator of CRISPR, the tool that allows genetic modification to be possible, states, “Assuming that independent analysis confirms today’s news. This work reinforces the urgent need to confine the use of gene editing in human embryos to settings where an unmet medical need exists” (Doudna). With this new technology, it’s extremely risky and could create new, even more dangerous illnesses that could be untreatable or make a deadly mistake causing the embryo’s death or if they survive long enough even the child's death. Furthermore, there is no need for genetic modification.

Social Divide

 Another concern is that a divide will most likely occur between the genetically modified (GM) and natural-born babies. Many scientists are worried for the future of both GM and natural children. In a TED Talk, genetic researcher Paul Knoepfler states, “GM kids will be bred to be smarter and better-looking than natural kids but may also have increased narcissism and aggressiveness towards natural kids” (Knoepfler). Genetically modified children will also most likely have to attend special schools because of their abilities. Natural children might wonder why parents didn’t modify them and feel different compared to GM kids. Natural parents might even be affected and looked down upon by parents of GM kids for not modifying them and be outcasts compared to others in their social group.

Corruption of Science and Government

Finally, governments and scientists may abuse the technology for money and power over others. Because many GM kids could live longer, be more athletic, and be resistant to diseases like HIV and more, many scientists believe people will abuse this technology. Paul Knoepfler states, “if there's a generation that looks like they have lower healthcare costs it’s possible that governments may start trying to compel their citizens to go the GM route” (Knoepfler). Even though benefits like increased life expectancy, attractiveness, and intelligence seem good, some organizations might even specifically breed children to better perform in the Olympics or be soldiers in the military. Likewise, Hollywood could breed them to have the best-looking actors that could emulate celebrity families like the Kardashians. All of the children will also have no control whether they want to be modified or not and will never be able to give consent to it. It could also greatly affect overpopulation.

Today there is already a great problem of overpopulation with more and more people living longer, if it becomes a common practice to modify them, it could lead to even more overpopulation from humans living even longer and even less illnesses.

Conclusion

 Overall, genetically modifying children is a dangerously new technology with little to no testing. With the process difficult and greatly unknown to accomplish it, it entails a dangerous future for not only the child and the people around, it but society as a whole. With corruption and a social divide possible the outcomes are to dangerous to consider. With the majority of the scientific community against it, it’s unethical and should be illegal in every country.