Distillations | Science History Institute The CRISPR Babies
Sep 11, 2025
Françoise Bayliss, a bioethicist who studies ethics of genome editing, and Kiran Musunuru, a cardiologist and CRISPR expert, discuss the 2018 gene-edited twin controversy. They explore CRISPR’s rise, technical flaws in the reported edits, ethical and consent failures, and the scientific community’s response. The conversation also touches on clinical successes and debates over oversight and regulation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
CRISPR Made Gene Editing Practically Possible
- CRISPR made precise, efficient gene editing widely accessible and transformed the field from crude tools to a 'word processor' for DNA.
- Kiran Musunuru and Jennifer Doudna describe CRISPR as dramatically more effective than earlier zinc-finger or TALEN methods, enabling edits previously impractical.
Doudna's Nightmare Sparked Public Action
- Jennifer Doudna had a vivid nightmare of explaining CRISPR to a man who turned into Adolf Hitler with a pig snout, which spurred her to act beyond the lab.
- Hank Greely recounts the dream as a turning point that pushed Doudna toward public engagement and ethics discussion.
Initial Guidelines Were Too Vague To Deter Risk
- Early international meetings (Napa, 2015 summit) urged caution and transparency but produced only a limited framework: safety/efficacy plus broad societal consensus.
- Participants later saw this 'prudent path' as insufficiently firm to prevent risky germline work.
