Genetic Engineering and Disability: Ethical Dilemmas in the Verge of Artificial Evolution

We are at the cusp of a new revolution shifting from natural to artificial evolution. Recent breakthroughs in genetic engineering opened up a world of new opportunities. The CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing method allows high-precision cutting and editing of genetic information in the DNA of any living organism, including humans. We have used technology to master nature – now we are about to use technology to change human nature, that has both individual as well as intergenerational applications. The need for a new regulatory framework is evident. Existing human rights treaties – including biomedical treaties – do not give clear guidance. They were meant to prohibit and control certain things happening to humans but not to deal with humans becoming potentially superhumans or even nonhumans. Any new policy conversation and the eventual regulatory regime must be based on the voices of those most directly concerned. Persons with disabilities are among the first to be directly concerned. This chapter explores the basics of the genetic revolution, the crucial ethical implications, and the impact on the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.