Opening the Door to ‘Designer Babies’? South Africa’s Genome Editing Guidelines Spark Global Debate

South Africa’s updated health-research ethics guidelines, which now include heritable human genome editing, have sparked concern among scientists. The revisions, made in May but only recently gaining attention, outline protocols for modifying genetic material in sperm, eggs, or embryos—changes that could be passed to future generations. This controversial move brings South Africa closer to potentially accepting germline editing, a technique currently prohibited in clinical settings worldwide, though the extent of consultation with the country’s scientific community remains unclear.

South Africa Edges Closer to Approving Controversial Genome Editing, Raising Global Concerns

This recent change in South Africa’s health research ethics guidelines introduces language that could pave the way for heritable genome editing in humans, marking a significant shift in global biomedical policy. Heritable human genome editing, also known as germline editing, involves making genetic modifications to embryos, sperm, or eggs in ways that would be inheritable by future generations. If pursued in clinical settings, this would result in genetically modified children, with potential societal ramifications that have sparked ethical and legal debates worldwide. While many nations have adopted policies against...