Human gene editing is a rapidly-advancing field of medical technology that holds great promise for new genetic treatments, but there are worries about safety and ethics.
Those concerns are being discussed this week as hundreds of scientists and ethicists from around the world meet in Washington, the Associated Press reported.
Recently, Chinese scientists attempted the first editing of genes in human embryos. It wasn't successful, but did raise questions about passing modified DNA to future generations.
"This is a technology that could have profound implications for permanent alteration of the human genome," Jennifer Doudna, a molecular biologist at the University of California, Berkeley, wrote in the journal Nature prior to the meeting.
She co-invented a widely-used gene editing tool, and the international conference was prompted by her calls to find the proper balance in how it's eventually used, the AP reported.
Some scientists say gene editing could be a huge leap forward in preventing inherited diseases, while others believe it's a line that should not be crossed.
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has said it won't fund research into genetic editing of human sperm, eggs or embryos, but private funding is still possible, the AP reported. In other countries, there is wide variation in guidelines and rules about this type of research.
