BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

The Real Story

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Politics

Global experts and decision makers discuss, debate and analyse a key news story.

The Real Story: Editing the Human Genome

Factual

Editing the Human Genome

27/11/2015 GMT

BBC World Service - The Real Story, Editing the Human Genome

Should scientists be tinkering with our genetic inheritance?

Remarkable new techniques for ‘editing’ DNA are revolutionising research in laboratories around the world. We ask whether mankind should be tinkering with our genetic inheritance.

Remarkable new techniques for ‘editing’ DNA – chemically cutting and splicing sections of genetic code – are revolutionising research in laboratories around the world. The potential for eradicating hereditary diseases is enormous.  But are the benefits outweighed by the risks involved?  And should these techniques ever be used on humans?  On Newshour Extra this week, Owen Bennett Jones and his panel of expert guests discuss the scientific and ethical consequences of this latest research, and ask whether mankind should be tinkering with our genetic inheritance.

Contributors: Prof Robin Lovell-Badge - Head of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Genetics at the Francis Crick Institute; Michael Le Page -New Scientist magazine;  Dr Annelien Bredenoord - Associate Professor of Biomedical Ethics at the University Medical Centre in Utrecht;  Marcy Darnovsky - Executive Director of the Center for Genetics and Society, Berkeley, California; James Rushbrooke - playwrite; Edward Perello - co-founder of Desktop Genetics

Photo Credit: Thinkstock

BBC World Service

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Real Story

Editing the Human Genome

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

About BBC World Service