The powerful technology of gene-editing can save lives

ORIGINAL SOURCE: The New York Times | Eric Kmiec

Gene Editing Can Save Lives. But Are There Risks?

To the Editor:

Re “We Can Edit a Person’s DNA. So Why Don’t We?,” by Fyodor Urnov (Opinion guest essay, Dec. 11):

Dr. Urnov weaves a beautiful story about the power of gene-editing technology. And he details the terrible conundrum we scientists face, knowing that we have the ability — right now — to improve the lives of the patients who walk in our hospital’s hallways hoping for lifesaving support, but we cannot deliver because the regulatory process simply can’t keep up.

While essential, clinical trial planning and regulatory approval take months that patients don’t have. As Dr. Urnov describes, so many of us should be further down the pike in this race.

My lab is one example, working hard to advance a lung cancer trial with CRISPR, the technology used to edit genes, since our animal studies tell us we’re on the right track.

If we were able to safely and effectively approve a Covid vaccine in a year, we must do the same by pooling public and private funds and seeking ways to speed up science.

Why can’t we support the most promising solutions to some of the longest running and most intractable of cancers or rare diseases?

Eric Kmiec
Newark, Del.
The writer is the executive director and chief scientific officer of the ChristianaCare Gene Editing Institute.