newscientist.com·Jun 5, 2026
A US research team has demonstrated that an improved CRISPR technique, base editing, can safely edit embryos without harmful mutations, raising the question of whether gene editing in babies could be permissible. However, significant obstacles remain, preventing any immediate consideration of its use.
A significant advancement has been made in gene editing: a US team successfully used an improved CRISPR technique, called base editing, to edit healthy embryos without introducing unwanted mutations. However, despite this progress, major obstacles remain before considering the technique safe for use in humans. This development could influence future research directions and ethical discussions in gene editing.