UC Merced Library

CRISPR/Cas9 is a novel technology that allows scientists to edit genomes for purposes related to research, livestock improvement, and eradication of disease. The use of CRISPR/Cas9 is highly debated in the scientific community due to its significant advantages and disadvantages when evaluating its use from a bioethical standpoint. Biomedical ethics in scientific research evolved due to historical events that violated human rights in the name of science, and currently studies must respect The Georgetown Mantra of Bioethics in which the values of beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice are required to be upheld when conducting biomedical research. This review assesses two studies that utilize CRISPR/Cas9 technology in line with the identified values of bioethics. The results show that there both an instance that violated The Georgetown Mantra and an instance that adhered to the accepted values, suggesting that CRISPR/Cas9 has the potential to be studied and applied in a way that is highly beneficial to society but can be easily used for unethical purposes if left unregulated.