[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":301},["ShallowReactive",2],{"slug-where-is-the-boundary-to-augment-life":3},{"post":4,"relatedPosts":184,"relatedBooks":300},{"id":5,"date":6,"date_gmt":7,"guid":8,"modified":10,"modified_gmt":11,"slug":12,"status":13,"type":14,"link":15,"title":16,"content":18,"excerpt":21,"author":23,"featured_media":24,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":26,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":29,"categories":30,"tags":33,"project_category":49,"contact_email_category":50,"yst_prominent_words":51,"class_list":61,"better_featured_image":85,"acf":119,"yoast_meta":128,"_links":131},21303,"2018-07-28T13:49:37","2018-07-28T11:49:37",{"rendered":9},"http:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F","2022-03-01T17:17:50","2022-03-01T16:17:50","where-is-the-boundary-to-augment-life","publish","post","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhere-is-the-boundary-to-augment-life",{"rendered":17},"Where Is The Boundary To Augment Life?",{"rendered":19,"protected":20},"\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"5px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp style=\"color: #555;font-size: 12px;line-height: 14px\">THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED SINCE 2018. THE INFORMATION SHARED IN THE ARTICLE WAS ACCURATE AT THE TIME OF ITS PUBLICATION, BUT IT MAY BE OUT OF DATE NOW. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fmagazine\">BROWSE OUR LATEST ARTICLES HERE\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\u003C\u002Ftbody>\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Cloning, CRISPR and gene editing, synthetic life forms, and longevity. The latest scientific discoveries are able to offset the natural order of human existence and meddle with sacred questions of life and death. Even so, does gaining insight into the secrets of being mean it should also be put into practice? Are we aware of the consequences? Where are the boundaries to augment life?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003C!--more-->\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Life, death and the coin for Charon the Ferryman\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In Japanese folklore, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffuturism.media\u002Fgods-and-goddesses-of-death-in-mythology\">Shinigami, gods or spirits of death came to the persons who were destined to die\u003C\u002Fa> and invited them over the threshold of life and death. In ancient Egypt, Anubis, having the body of a man and the head of a jackal, guided the dead to the Underworld. Looking at Greek mythology, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.greekmythology.com\u002FOther_Gods\u002FThe_Fates\u002Fthe_fates.html\">Fates or Moira\u003C\u002Fa>, three weaving goddesses were responsible for weaving the thread of life. They were present at birth and death – deciding when to form and when to cut the fiber of every mortal’s existence. The ancient Greeks believed that Thanatos or Charon the Ferryman accompanied the dead to the Underworld, the reign of Hades. For easing the route, the tradition was to \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Ffolklorethursday.com\u002Fmyths\u002Fa-coin-for-the-ferryman-charon-and-the-journey-to-hades\u002F#sthash.h4Ufq3cN.dpbs\">put a coin on the lips of the deceased to pay the passage on the Styx River to Charon\u003C\u002Fa>. No mortal could come back from Hades’ territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The collective imagination of humanity is fascinating when it comes to the feared terrain of death and the sanctity of life. \u003Cstrong>Every religion has had its own myths and legends about the passing of life and death, but there were some very few common denominators\u003C\u002Fstrong>. The sanctity of life and the sanctions coming with bloodshed – either when someone takes their own or another person’s life – as well as the reprisal when an individual tries to meddle with the natural flow of life and dare cross the territory of the Gods. \u003Cstrong>The fundamental questions of who shall live, be born or how and when shall one die have remained for centuries to be answered by forces outside the human sphere\u003C\u002Fstrong> – and when an individual did not respect the laws or acted without consulting (religious) guidance, the consequences were dreadful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-21304\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"679\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fweaving-and-spinning.jpg\" alt=\"augment life\" class=\"wp-image-21304\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fweaving-and-spinning.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fweaving-and-spinning-768x599.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fweaving-and-spinning-512x400.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>http:\u002F\u002Fwww.metmuseum.org\u002Fart\u002Fcollection\u002Fsearch\u002F253348: Attributed to the Amasis Painter, Terracotta lekythos (oil flask), ca. 550?530 B.C., Terracotta, H. 6 3\u002F4 in. (17.15 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Fletcher Fund, 1931 (31.11.10)\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Frankenstein and the birth of human augmentation\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Remember the legend of Dr. Faust, the German scholar from around the 15th century? He is so dissatisfied with his life that he attempts suicide, and after the failed endeavor calls on the Devil to help him reach more knowledge and magical powers. The Devil’s representative, Mephistopheles, appears and Faust makes a bargain with him. For some years, Faust will have all the supernatural powers he longs for, but at the end of the pact, the Devil will claim Faust’s soul, and he will be eternally enslaved. Meddling with questions of life, death or the supernatural? How dare you have the arrogance as a human to enter that territory?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, \u003Cstrong>for centuries, there were no means – more sophisticated than guns or poison – to infiltrate that dangerous terrain\u003C\u002Fstrong>. Individuals who came the closest to questions of life and death, priests, doctors and sorcerers working in dark rooms selling magic powders and drinks to bring back the dead, did not have any real tools to change the course of life or death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, \u003Cstrong>the industrial revolutions, the advancement of technology as well as medicine, opened new horizons. \u003C\u002Fstrong>No wonder that \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fblog.pshares.org\u002Findex.php\u002Fthe-evolution-of-artificial-life-in-science-fiction\u002F\">the first novel about human augmentation, the horror story of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley\u003C\u002Fa>, was published in 1818. It is not only the first work of science fiction as generally considered, but it’s also the first artificial life form in fiction dealing with the boundaries of life and death – center staging a scientist. It poses the increasingly relevant question whether gaining insight into the creation of life also means humans should put that knowledge into practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-21305\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"693\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fmary-shelly-wollstonecraft-frankenstien-anniversary1.jpg\" alt=\"augment life\" class=\"wp-image-21305\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fmary-shelly-wollstonecraft-frankenstien-anniversary1.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fmary-shelly-wollstonecraft-frankenstien-anniversary1-768x612.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fmary-shelly-wollstonecraft-frankenstien-anniversary1-512x408.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Colin Clive, as Dr. Frankenstein, and Dwight Frye, as his assistant Fritz. Source: www.time.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>As the array of the methods for augmenting life is getting more and more advanced and nuanced, – from cloning through synthetic biology until CRISPR, the gene editing method – the option for everyday people to encounter the tough choice of whether or not to utilize those tools is also getting closer. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Dolly and the promise of cloning\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In 1997, the world was stunned by a little white animal. Dolly, the sheep was a world sensation. Back then, no one thought science is able to produce a cloned mammal, a facsimile lamb. Life scientists celebrated the ground-breaking results, science-fiction writers got inspired to delve into the future of cloned societies, governments started to draft legislation to ward against future cloning issues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>When Dolly developed lung disease and had to be put to sleep at the age of six – approximately 40 in human years -, the fever around cloning dropped down. But to stay on the safe side, 70 countries enacted bans on human cloning worldwide due to its possible medical consequences, ethical challenges, and dystopian scenarios. Still, research has continued. More than two decades passed, and in 2018, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.reuters.com\u002Farticle\u002Fus-science-cloning-monkeys\u002Fchinese-scientists-break-key-barrier-by-cloning-monkeys-idUSKBN1FD2FF\">Chinese researchers were able to clone the first primates from non-embryonic cells\u003C\u002Fa>. They broke a significant technical barrier that could have hindered human cloning. That doesn’t mean humans are next, though. Or whether they should be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>As research in cloning currently shows, therapeutic cloning might be a more viable way to go. That means doctors take a cell from a patient, put its nucleus into an enucleated egg, and get the cell to begin dividing and multiplying in a lab dish. People with heart failure, Alzheimer’s disease or diabetes could be hopeful to expect a medical breakthrough including cloned stem cells, from which new and healthy tissues could be grown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-21306\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fstem-cell-research.jpg\" alt=\"augment life\" class=\"wp-image-21306\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fstem-cell-research.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fstem-cell-research-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fstem-cell-research-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fstem-cell-research-512x288.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Photo credit: Eric Baker\u002FOHSU\u002FPA Wire\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Smart algorithms predicting life and death\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>A Nigerian start-up, \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fubenwa.com\u002F\">Ubenwa\u003C\u002Fa> has developed an A.I. algorithm able to diagnose childbirth asphyxia based on an infant’s cry. The smartphone application analyses the amplitude and frequency patterns of the weeping and provides an instant diagnosis. Founders told \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fqz.com\u002F1158185\u002Fnigerian-ai-health-startup-ubenwa-hopes-to-save-thousands-of-babies-lives-every-year\u002F\">Quartz\u003C\u002Fa> that the A.I. solution has achieved over 95% prediction accuracy in trials with nearly 1,400 pre-recorded baby cries. As, according to WHO, birth asphyxia is the third highest cause of under-five child deaths and is responsible for almost one million neonatal deaths annually, the solution comes as a real life-saver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>On the other end of the spectrum, the FDA has recently approved the use of an algorithm which monitors vitals of patients suffering from a severe illness to help predict sudden death from heart attacks or respiratory failure. The algorithm, named the \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.cardiovascularbusiness.com\u002Fpress-releases\u002Fexcel-medical%E2%80%99s-wave-clinical-platform-receives-fda-clearance\">Wave Clinical Platform\u003C\u002Fa>, was developed by medical technology company \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fexcel-medical.com\u002Fdata-analytics\u002Fpredictive-analytics\u002F\">ExcelMedical\u003C\u002Fa>. The team hopes that their innovation could help more effective palliative care and ensure that patients receive respectful treatment and dignity before passing away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>There is no area of life where smart algorithms are not present. Why would life and death be the exception? Research and growth in computers’ ability to understand images, text, and video in the form of Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI) are skyrocketing. Medical imaging, healthcare data management, diagnostics, oncology and many more fields could tremendously profit from its innovation. But how much should an algorithm know? What if they give a better diagnosis as a doctor? What if they are able to tell us how to live, until when we’ll live and when it’ll be time to die? Will we hand down to smart algorithms the key to play Gods with us?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-21307\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Falgorithm-predicting-death.png\" alt=\"augment life\" class=\"wp-image-21307\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Falgorithm-predicting-death.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Falgorithm-predicting-death-370x208.png 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Falgorithm-predicting-death-768x432.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Falgorithm-predicting-death-512x288.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.gizmodo.com\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>The dawn of synthetic life forms\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In 2010, scientists created \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fscience\u002F2010\u002Fmay\u002F20\u002Fcraig-venter-synthetic-life-form\">the world’s first synthetic life form in a landmark experiment\u003C\u002Fa> that paves the way for designer organisms that are built rather than evolved. The mastermind of the project, Craig Venter is one of the fathers of the Human Genome Project and founder of \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.humanlongevity.com\u002F\">Human Longevity\u003C\u002Fa>. He has many endeavors, including \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fcriticalbiomass.blog.hu\u002F2016\u002F06\u002F12\u002Fmutass_egy_genomot_megmutatom_ki_az\">the building of an algorithm\u003C\u002Fa> that could design a patient’s physical characteristics based on their DNA.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Regarding synthetic biology, Venter’s team created the „minimal genome” for a cell to stay alive. Explaining it bluntly, at first they played “Jenga” with a small genome. They cut as many genes which still allowed for it to survive to work out the minimum number of genes needed for life to exist – then built an entirely synthetic genome from only as many genes as enabled it to endure. From this, new microorganisms could be made by bolting on additional genes to produce useful chemicals, break down pollutants, or produce proteins for use in vaccines. If we ever go to Mars, we might bring such synthetic organisms to the Red Planet to survive under hostile conditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Of course, it’s groundbreaking research, but should we experiment with the touchstones of life as we know it? \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theguardian.com\u002Fscience\u002F2010\u002Fmay\u002F20\u002Fcraig-venter-synthetic-life-form\">Critics, including some religious groups, condemned Venter’s work\u003C\u002Fa>, with one organization warning that artificial organisms could escape into the wild and cause environmental havoc or be turned into biological weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-21308\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"653\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fsynthetic-life-forms.jpg\" alt=\"augment life\" class=\"wp-image-21308\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fsynthetic-life-forms.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fsynthetic-life-forms-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fsynthetic-life-forms-512x384.jpg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.independent.co.uk\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Is aging a chronic illness?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>In the last centuries, one of the most substantial discoveries of humans was that lifespan can be increased. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.theatlantic.com\u002Fmagazine\u002Farchive\u002F2014\u002F10\u002Fwhat-happens-when-we-all-live-to-100\u002F379338\u002F\">Since 1840, life expectancy at birth has risen about three months per year\u003C\u002Fa>. Thus, every year a newborn lives three months longer than those born the previous year. Sweden, which keeps excellent demographic records, documents female life expectancy at 45 years of age in 1840 and 83 today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>With the drastic increase in life expectancy, the question arises: do we have the means to push it further? Do humans want to live longer? Does humanity want to mess with the natural life cycle and reverse engineer it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Some people fancy the idea of longevity. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.newyorker.com\u002Fmagazine\u002F2017\u002F04\u002F03\u002Fsilicon-valleys-quest-to-live-forever\">Silicon Valley apparently has a quest for that now\u003C\u002Fa>. The \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fnam.edu\u002Finitiatives\u002Fgrand-challenge-healthy-longevity\u002F\">U.S. National Academy launched a Grand Challenge in Healthy Longevity\u003C\u002Fa>, which will award at least twenty-five million dollars for breakthroughs in the field. The \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.pacitaproject.eu\u002F\">Parliaments and Civil Society in Technology Assessment (PACITA)\u003C\u002Fa> is a project of the European Union bringing together stakeholders of healthcare in hopes to design policy, gather technological solutions, and promote awareness of assisting an aging society. The co-founder of Google, Larry Page, established \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.calicolabs.com\u002F\">Calico\u003C\u002Fa> to figure out the secret to a long, healthy life. Moreover, it’s ultimate aim is to extend the human lifespan \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.technologyreview.com\u002Fs\u002F603087\u002Fgoogles-long-strange-life-span-trip\u002F\">by coming up with a breakthrough as important and useful to humanity as the transistor has been\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The anti-aging pioneer, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ft.com\u002Fcontent\u002F238cc916-e935-11e6-967b-c88452263daf\">Aubrey deGrey\u003C\u002Fa>, goes even further as his research center is focusing on an “engineering” approach designed to keep the process of degradation below the threshold at which it turns into life-threatening disease. He says we might live for 1,000 years with aging as a chronic disease. Could that be possible? And if so, would we want that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-21309\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"436\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Faging-man.png\" alt=\"augment life\" class=\"wp-image-21309\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Faging-man.png 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Faging-man-768x385.png 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Faging-man-512x257.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Source: www.longevitynetwork.org\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Designing the babies of the future with CRISPR?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>CRISPR is the newest, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fcrispr\">most efficient and most accurate method to edit a cell’s genome\u003C\u002Fa>. Basically, it means researchers are currently able to use these specific “DNA scissors” to cut DNA at particular places and replace them with others. What are \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fwhat-can-you-achieve-with-crispr-therapy\">the implications foit er these\u003C\u002Fa>? It ranges from gene-edited mosquitos for the fight against malaria to curing cancer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Going one (giant zero-gravity) step further, just imagine the following scenario: you and your wife decided to have a kid. After going to the bedroom and having done the usual procedure, you call a genetic designer and ask for a personal appointment. Then you sit down at the kitchen table and start to talk about how your kid should look like and what traits should he or she have. You decide you would like to have a sweet and healthy boy with plenty of blond hair (no, not like Donald Trumps’). He should be brilliant, he should have excellent eye-sight, and he should have a resistant immune system, be muscular, be tall and have a beautiful smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>And imagine a darker scenario. What if with the advancement of biotechnology, in an entirely controlled society, a leader decides about the biological “casts” of people – producing humans who are working as blue-collar laborers, breeding humans who are white-collar laborers or creating killing-machines – genetically modified soldiers with the inability to empathy or free will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Are we far away from this? Should we be far away from this? Chinese researchers reported using CRISPR to \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.popsci.com\u002Fresearchers-edit-genes-human-embryos-first-time\">edit the genome of human embryos\u003C\u002Fa> in April 2015. However, they \u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.popsci.com\u002Fshould-bioethicists-get-out-way-crispr-research\">sparked a worldwide debate\u003C\u002Fa> over how this technology could (or should) be used. The gene-editing of embryos carries enormous risks as CRISPR can accidentally edit genes that have a DNA sequence similar to its target, and cause irreversible mutations in the nuclei. It is a scary and very alarming outcome, and we should definitely do everything in our power to avoid such scenarios.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002FCRISPR-editing-humans.jpg\" alt=\"CRISPR\u002FCAS9 - Editing Humans\" class=\"wp-image-14222\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The new horizons opened by CRISPR, cloning, longevity or synthetic life forms entail that first time in history, humanity has the chance to actively intrude in basic questions of life. That comes with responsibility and an utmost frightening feature: the capacity to not only influence one person’s life but generations to come. That’s why decisions about gene editing, cloning or longevity should be made responsibly and being aware of the consequences. Humanity has to grow up to these technologies and find the maturity to have meaningful bioethical discussions about it leading to responsible decisions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Feepurl.com\u002FZejiT\">\u003Cstrong>Subscribe To The Medical Futurist℠ Newsletter\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cul class=\"wp-block-list\" id=\"block-a6f00147-05f5-4bb0-9713-87b07f5827e5\">\u003Cli>News shaping the future of healthcare\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Advice on taking charge of your health\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Reviews of the latest health technology\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\n",false,{"rendered":22,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>Cloning, CRISPR and gene editing, synthetic life forms, and longevity. The latest scientific discoveries are able to offset the natural order of human existence and meddle with sacred questions of life and death. Even so, does gaining insight into the secrets of being mean it should also be put into practice? Are we aware of the consequences? Where are the boundaries to augment life?\u003C\u002Fp>\n",6,21331,"closed",true,"","standard",{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[31,32],511,506,[34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48],904,924,144,994,198,995,246,996,271,997,275,998,373,999,570,[],[],[52,53,54,55,56,57,58,59,60],1819,1883,2823,3347,3357,3435,5289,1723,1729,[62,14,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,83,84],"post-21303","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bioethics","category-cyborgization","tag-gene-editing","tag-longevity","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-life","tag-death","tag-augmentation","tag-future","tag-bioethics","tag-health","tag-bioethical","tag-healthcare","tag-cloning","tag-research","tag-synthetic-life","tag-crispr",{"id":24,"alt_text":86,"caption":27,"description":87,"media_type":88,"media_details":89,"post":5,"source_url":118},"TMF, Boundary to augment life","TMF","image",{"width":90,"height":91,"file":92,"sizes":93,"image_meta":115},870,489,"2018\u002F07\u002Fboundary-to-augment-life.png",{"medium":94,"large":100,"thumbnail":105,"medium_large":109,"large_old_512x288":110},{"file":95,"width":96,"height":97,"mime-type":98,"source_url":99},"boundary-to-augment-life-370x208.png",370,208,"image\u002Fpng","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fboundary-to-augment-life-370x208.png",{"file":101,"width":102,"height":103,"mime-type":98,"source_url":104},"boundary-to-augment-life-768x432.png",768,432,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fboundary-to-augment-life-768x432.png",{"file":106,"width":107,"height":107,"mime-type":98,"source_url":108},"boundary-to-augment-life-150x150.png",150,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fboundary-to-augment-life-150x150.png",{"file":101,"width":102,"height":103,"mime-type":98,"source_url":104},{"file":111,"width":112,"height":113,"mime-type":98,"source_url":114},"boundary-to-augment-life-512x288.png",512,288,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fboundary-to-augment-life-512x288.png",{"aperture":116,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":116,"copyright":27,"focal_length":116,"iso":116,"shutter_speed":116,"title":27,"orientation":116,"keywords":117},"0",[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F07\u002Fboundary-to-augment-life.png",{"related_posts":120,"related_posts_footer":124,"cta_type":27,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":20},[121,122,123],20686,14192,14216,[125,126,127],13151,14607,17240,{"yoast_wpseo_title":129,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":130,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":15},"Where Is The Boundary To Augment Life? - The Medical Futurist","Cloning, CRISPR, gene-editing, longevity: discoveries able to meddle with questions of life and death. Where are the boundaries to augment life?",{"self":132,"collection":138,"about":141,"author":144,"replies":147,"version-history":150,"predecessor-version":154,"wp:featuredmedia":158,"wp:attachment":161,"wp:term":164,"curies":180},[133],{"href":134,"targetHints":135},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F21303",{"allow":136},[137],"GET",[139],{"href":140},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts",[142],{"href":143},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftypes\u002Fpost",[145],{"embeddable":26,"href":146},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fusers\u002F6",[148],{"embeddable":26,"href":149},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcomments?post=21303",[151],{"count":152,"href":153},22,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F21303\u002Frevisions",[155],{"id":156,"href":157},40127,"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fposts\u002F21303\u002Frevisions\u002F40127",[159],{"embeddable":26,"href":160},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia\u002F21331",[162],{"href":163},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fmedia?parent=21303",[165,168,171,174,177],{"taxonomy":166,"embeddable":26,"href":167},"category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcategories?post=21303",{"taxonomy":169,"embeddable":26,"href":170},"post_tag","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Ftags?post=21303",{"taxonomy":172,"embeddable":26,"href":173},"project_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fproject_category?post=21303",{"taxonomy":175,"embeddable":26,"href":176},"contact_email_category","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fcontact_email_category?post=21303",{"taxonomy":178,"embeddable":26,"href":179},"yst_prominent_words","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-json\u002Fwp\u002Fv2\u002Fyst_prominent_words?post=21303",[181],{"name":182,"href":183,"templated":26},"wp","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.w.org\u002F{rel}",[185],{"id":127,"date":186,"date_gmt":187,"guid":188,"modified":190,"modified_gmt":191,"slug":192,"status":13,"type":14,"link":193,"title":194,"content":196,"excerpt":198,"author":23,"featured_media":200,"comment_status":25,"ping_status":25,"sticky":20,"template":27,"format":28,"meta":201,"categories":202,"tags":204,"project_category":212,"contact_email_category":213,"yst_prominent_words":214,"class_list":218,"better_featured_image":228,"acf":254,"yoast_meta":255,"_links":258},"2018-02-27T08:25:50","2018-02-27T06:25:50",{"rendered":189},"http:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002F?p=17240","2022-02-11T09:05:07","2022-02-11T08:05:07","news-from-2055-gene-therapy-gone-wrong-mother-dies-after-fetus-breaks-out-of-womb","https:\u002F\u002Fmedicalfuturist.com\u002Fnews-from-2055-gene-therapy-gone-wrong-mother-dies-after-fetus-breaks-out-of-womb",{"rendered":195},"News From 2055: Gene Therapy Went Wrong? Mother Dies After Fetus Breaks Out Of Womb",{"rendered":197,"protected":20},"\n\u003Cdiv class=\"entry-summary\">\n\u003Cp style=\"text-align: justify;\">A short story written by Margit Hilland Laerum as part of Dr. Bertalan Meskó’s course: Lessons in Digital Health at Semmelweis University. The dystopic scenario details possible consequences of gene therapies that might make us think about how to prevent ethical issues in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Fdiv>\n\n\n\n\u003C!--more-->\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Following the death of 26-year-old Petra Pollutino, NYPD has confirmed that the woman bled to death as a result of her 6-month old fetus bursting out of her womb. \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Pollutino was attending a tennis match Saturday, 14 August 2055 at the New York Tennis Club when she suddenly fell ill. Witnesses reported gruesome scenes. They described Pollutino having fallen to the ground screaming and clutching her stomach while blood had poured out on the ground. Some witnesses even reported seeing a little hand reaching out of her stomach; but this has yet to be confirmed by medical personnel. Pollutino was rushed to the hospital where they had to perform an emergency C-section. But that was already late, the doctors couldn’t save her. She was pronounced dead at the hospital later that evening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Superbaby with super-strength \u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Doctor Che De Lee from The New York hospital reported at Tuesday’s press conference that the baby is in a stable condition, but will require intense follow-up the next couple of months due to some abnormal findings. \u003Cem>“I can confirm that Petra Pollutino bled to death as a result of her own baby leaving the womb through the abdominal wall.\u003C\u002Fem> This situation is highly unusual, to say the least. We have never seen anything like it before. The infant is the size and weight of a fully developed baby, which is much larger than what you would expect of a fetus at 6 month’s gestation. Only the muscles and connective tissue are of larger scale, while the organs are underdeveloped. It appears that the enhanced muscle tissue has provided the baby with some sort of super-strength”, she explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>On the question about what may have caused it, Dr. Lee had no clear explanation. \u003Cem>“We have no answer to what may have caused this super-strength, but it will be intensely investigated in the following weeks”, she added.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fsuperbaby.jpg\" alt=\"Gene Therapy\" class=\"wp-image-17243\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fsuperbaby.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fsuperbaby-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fsuperbaby-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fsuperbaby-512x288.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fsuperbaby-445x250.jpg 445w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>GATOO to blame?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>An anonymous source reported that Pollutino had participated in the much-debated GATOO-project (Gene Augmentation Therapy for Optimal Offspring). The US-based private company provides services to design the optimal offspring by modifying genes of the germ cells. The participants can choose from a range of genes coding for qualities involving height, IQ, musicality, hair, eye and skin color, and type and strength of muscle tissue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The source reported that Pollutino had augmented genes following the newly updated Fitness Genome Profile for her pregnancy. The old FG-profile involved the genes ACTN3 and ACTN1, which are related to skeletal muscle fiber structure and function, the ACE I gene, coding for angiotensin-converting enzyme that responds better to exercise than the D form, as well as PEX14, TGFA and SYT1. These are all involved in muscle cell communication with the nervous system. The updated FG-profile reportedly also involves a seventh gene – the so-called FST, follistatin, which had not yet been trialed in humans but has shown extreme muscle growth in mice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The Future Times has reached out to GATOO but the company refused to comment on the case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>We’ve seen it before: complications due to gene therapies\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated in a report released in January that around 20 percent of the GATOO embryos are spontaneously aborted; while another 10 percent get some form of unwanted genetic complication.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Previously reported complications of the therapy are muscle dystrophies after failed FG-profiles and severe schizophrenia due to IQ-enhancing therapy. And of course, there is the infamous Greenberg-case. In May, The Future Times reported that the Greenberg family sued GATOO when they discovered their daughter had developed severe sun-intolerance after receiving skin color augmentation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"429\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fgene-therapy.jpg\" alt=\"gene therapy\" class=\"wp-image-17244\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fgene-therapy.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fgene-therapy-768x379.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fgene-therapy-512x252.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fgene-therapy-458x226.jpg 458w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Cstrong>Gene-modified winners?\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>However, there were several cases of successful gene augmentation therapies. These persons are popularly called Augments. Look at 15-year-old Charles Roes, the reigning world chess champion or Martha Groebel who set a new world record at the 400m sprint at last week’s youth Olympics – at only nine years old. Since GATOO’s privacy policy does not require the names of Augments to be public, it is speculated that some of the top athletes might have actually grown up as subjects of this therapy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>After Groebel’s record-breaking run, several sports institutions have called for a new law requiring GATOO to make the list of Augment names public. When Daan Fleimgat crushed the previous Olympic record holder, Usain Bolt’s time on 100m sprint at the 2052 Olympics, Bolt’s tweet caused outrage with its not-so-subtle accusations of GATOO involvement:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>“Kudos to Daan on his new record. Mr. and Mrs. Fleimgatoo must have provided him with their very best genetic material”…\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>Asta Bloom, the president of the International Olympic Committee said in a press conference last week that \u003Cem>“the Olympic Committee understands the ethical and practical questions that arise by allowing Augments to participate in the Olympic Games along with non-Augments”.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"870\" height=\"647\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002F1712507217.rsc.cdn77.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fsprint-olympics.jpg\" alt=\"Gene Therapy\" class=\"wp-image-17245\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fsprint-olympics.jpg 870w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fsprint-olympics-768x571.jpg 768w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fsprint-olympics-512x381.jpg 512w, https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2018\u002F02\u002Fsprint-olympics-336x250.jpg 336w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\n\n\n\n\u003Cp>When asked about the future she added: \u003Cem>“the committee will discuss the issues in the following months about whether or not the participation of Augments in the next years Olympics is ethically fair”.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ctable style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #eee; border-top: 4px solid #444;\" cellpadding=\"10px\">\n\u003Ctbody>\n\u003Ctr>\n\u003Ctd style=\"width: 100%;\">\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>At The Medical Futurist, we are building a community for making a bold vision about the future of healthcare reality today.\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ciframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FFIbMejImnxs\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\u003Cp>If you’d like to support this mission, we invite you to \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">join The Medical Futurist Patreon Community\u003C\u002Fa>. A community of empowered patients, future-oriented healthcare professionals, concerned health policymakers, sensible health tech developers, and enthusiastic medical students. If there were ever a time to join us, it is now. Every contribution, however big or small, powers our research and sustains our future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.patreon.com\u002Fthemedicalfuturist\">\u003Cstrong style=\"background-color: #e71d3299; color: #000;\">Click here to support The Medical Futurist from as little as $3\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fa> – it only takes a minute. Thank you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003C\u002Ftd>\n\u003C\u002Ftr>\n\u003C\u002Ftbody>\n\u003C\u002Ftable>\n\u003Cp> \u003C\u002Fp>\n\n\n\n\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fthemedicalfuturist.us8.list-manage.com\u002Fsubscribe?u=5b42ebb547c75ff669a6572d3&id=efd6a3cd08\">\u003Cb>Subscribe To The Medical Futurist℠ Newsletter\u003C\u002Fb>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\n\n\n\u003Cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\u003Cli>News shaping the future of healthcare\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Advice on taking charge of your health\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>Reviews of the latest health technology\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\n",{"rendered":199,"protected":20},"\u003Cp>A short story written by Margit Hilland Laerum as part of Dr. Bertalan Meskó’s course: Lessons in Digital Health at Semmelweis University. The dystopic scenario […]\u003C\u002Fp>\n",14218,{"_acf_changed":20,"footnotes":27},[203],515,[205,206,207,208,40,209,210,44,211],383,387,425,770,255,260,313,[],[],[215,59,60,53,216,217],1571,2215,5917,[219,14,63,64,65,66,67,220,221,222,223,224,76,225,226,80,227],"post-17240","category-science-fiction","tag-science-fiction","tag-scifi","tag-technology-2","tag-short-story","tag-gene-therapy","tag-genetics","tag-medicine",{"id":200,"alt_text":229,"caption":27,"description":27,"media_type":88,"media_details":230,"post":123,"source_url":253},"CRISPR\u002FCAS9",{"width":231,"height":232,"file":233,"sizes":234,"image_meta":251},600,435,"2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-gene-editing-method.jpg",{"medium":235,"thumbnail":239,"large":242,"medium_old_345x250":246},{"file":236,"width":96,"height":97,"mime-type":237,"source_url":238},"crispr-gene-editing-method-370x208.jpg","image\u002Fjpeg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-gene-editing-method-370x208.jpg",{"file":240,"width":107,"height":107,"mime-type":237,"source_url":241},"crispr-gene-editing-method-150x150.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-gene-editing-method-150x150.jpg",{"file":243,"width":112,"height":244,"mime-type":237,"source_url":245},"crispr-gene-editing-method-512x371.jpg",371,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-gene-editing-method-512x371.jpg",{"file":247,"width":248,"height":249,"mime-type":237,"source_url":250},"crispr-gene-editing-method-345x250.jpg",345,250,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-gene-editing-method-345x250.jpg",{"aperture":116,"credit":27,"camera":27,"caption":27,"created_timestamp":116,"copyright":27,"focal_length":116,"iso":116,"shutter_speed":116,"title":27,"orientation":116,"keywords":252},[],"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.medicalfuturist.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2016\u002F10\u002Fcrispr-gene-editing-method.jpg",{"related_posts":20,"related_posts_footer":20,"cta_type":27,"cta_color":27,"subtitle":27,"related_books":20},{"yoast_wpseo_title":256,"yoast_wpseo_metadesc":257,"yoast_wpseo_canonical":193},"News From 2055: Gene Therapy Went Wrong? 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