CRISPR

CRISPR should be researched more to help people with genetic issues avoid passing the same problems on to their children. CRISPR is used to cut and edit DNA, and with this tool, there could be many avoidable illnesses. Though it plays God, it will help many people lead more enjoyable lives. CRISPR can help improve people’s lives by getting rid of health issues, help improve foods, get rid of allergies, and even help our pets live happier and healthier lives. With more research and attention, CRISPR can positively change people's lives.

For some, thinking they could pass down a life-altering disease or illness is enough to rethink having kids. CRISPR could help people with that worry. If people knew it could be used to treat or even prevent traits being passed down, it could help melt away those worries. CRISPR is most widely known for its use in treating sickle cell disease. Victoria Gray, a 34-year-old mom, went through the treatment during its experimental phase, and she said it went perfectly. “The pain I would feel in my body was like being struck by lightning and hit by a freight train all at once,” said Victoria Gray at the Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing in London. In her interview with CNN, she said, “The feeling is amazing. I really feel that I’m cured now, because I no longer have to face the battles that I faced on a day-to-day (basis). I came from having to have an in-home caregiver to help me take baths, clean my house, and care for my children. Now I do all those things on my own.” After the surgery, she felt free and happy to finally be able to spend time with her family.

This is Victoria and her three kids.

CRISPR’s help with sickle cell isn’t only about quality of life. CRISPR is a one-time treatment for sickle cell disease. Traditionally, sickle cell is treated by blood transfusions that are spaced around three to four weeks for the rest of that person's life. People with sickle cell anemia can also get bone marrow transplants, which are very painful, and the estimated cost for a person with sickle cell to get these treatments throughout their whole life is about $4 million. The estimated cost of CRISPR, which is a one-time treatment, is estimated to be around $1 million. CRISPR can also help get rid of some of the side effects that come with having sickle cell disease, like the crippling pain people usually feel when they have sickle cell disease.

This is an example of a bone marrow transplant.

Another person who underwent treatment was Patrick Doherty, who suffered from amyloidosis. This is when proteins that are not correctly shaped accumulate in your body, and then they end up harming vital organs. "I'm kind of getting a bit breathless going up a small hillside here in Donegal, which - there are many (laughter). So, I realized something was wrong. Something was wrong." Patrick Doherty to Rob Stein. Patrick was a very active person, but he also saw two uncles and his father die from this disease. After treatment, Patrick said he felt great.