A panel convened by the World Health Organization said it would be "irresponsible" for scientists to use gene editing for reproductive purposes, but stopped short of calling for a ban. The experts also called for the U.N. health agency to create a database of scientists working on gene editing. WHO's announcement comes after an international group of scientists and ethicists called for a temporary ban on gene-edited babies in the journal Nature last week. Gene editing is intended as a more precise way to do gene therapy. But most scientists think gene editing to make babies is too risky to be tried at the moment because of the danger of damaging other genes and because unknown DNA alterations could be passed on.

Source: CBC News March 19, 2019 19:32 UTC