Germline engineering

While gene therapy developers are still struggling with bioavailability and production issues - much less proof of efficacy - gene transfer to the germline of human beings to generate heritable genetic alterations has not been considered due to ethical constraints. However, a policy forum editorial in Science advocates continued research with embryonic or in utero gene transfer despite the possibility of germline integration.

Last week's editorial, by Jon Gordon at Mount Sinai School of Medicine's Center for Laboratory Animal Sciences (New York, N.Y.), advocates research on gene transfer despite fears of genetic enhancements of human beings (such as increasing athletic or musical ability) on the grounds that such gene transfer is not currently medically feasible or ethically permissible...