International Journal of Molecular Medical Science, 2024, Vol.14, No.2, 81-89 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/ijmms 86 generations. This raises ethical issues, such as whether germline gene editing should be conducted to transmit changes to the next generation, involving considerations of the impact and responsibility for future generations. The application of the CRISPR-Cas system may exacerbate social inequalities. For instance, gene editing may become prevalent only among the affluent, leading to increased societal inequality. Additionally, gene editing may result in inequalities between races or ethnic groups. These issues necessitate considerations of fairness, justice, and societal impacts. The application of the CRISPR-Cas system may also be prone to misuse or non-therapeutic purposes. For example, gene editing may be used for enhancing human traits or creating designer babies, raising ethical questions on how to ensure the ethical and moral application of gene editing and how to establish corresponding regulatory and legal frameworks to prevent misuse. 3.3 Legal and regulatory issues The development and application of the CRISPR-Cas system face challenges, including legal and regulatory issues. Therefore, international collaboration is essential to establish clear legal and regulatory frameworks, ensuring that the application of the CRISPR-Cas system occurs within safe, reliable, and ethical boundaries. Scientists, doctors, and the public must actively engage in discussions and decision-making processes to ensure that the application of gene editing aligns with societal consensus and values. Currently, many countries lack explicit legal frameworks for gene editing and the application of the CRISPR-Cas system. This results in legal uncertainty and ambiguity, posing confusion and risks for scientists and doctors engaging in gene editing. Therefore, the establishment of clear legal frameworks is necessary to ensure that the application of gene editing occurs within legal and regulated boundaries. The application of the CRISPR-Cas system involves the direct editing of the human genome, raising safety and risk concerns. For example, gene editing may lead to unforeseen side effects or unpredictable consequences. Therefore, comprehensive safety and risk assessments are required to ensure that the application of gene editing is safe and reliable. The application of the CRISPR-Cas system is a global challenge requiring international cooperation and standardization. Different countries and regions may have varying legal and regulatory requirements, creating difficulties for multinational research and applications. Therefore, the establishment of international cooperation mechanisms and the development of common standards are necessary to facilitate the development and application of the CRISPR-Cas system. Gene editing involves a range of ethical and moral issues, and determining appropriate regulatory and ethical frameworks is a challenge. Regulatory bodies need to formulate clear rules and guidelines to ensure that the application of gene editing occurs within ethical and moral boundaries. Additionally, public engagement and opinions should be incorporated into the regulatory and decision-making processes. 4 Future Directions and Prospects 4.1 Technological improvements and optimization The CRISPR-Cas system, as a revolutionary gene-editing technology, holds vast prospects and potential, promising transformative changes in fields such as medicine, agriculture, and the environment. With continuous technological improvements and optimization, the CRISPR-Cas system is poised to become a powerful and precise gene-editing tool, making significant contributions to human health and sustainable development. Currently, the editing efficiency and precision of the CRISPR-Cas system still face certain limitations. Future research and technological improvements will focus on enhancing editing efficiency and precision, aiming to reduce unnecessary side effects and errors. In addition to the commonly used CRISPR-Cas9 system, scientists are developing and refining other types of CRISPR tools and technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas12, CRISPR-Cas13, and more. These new tools and technologies may offer higher editing efficiency, broader genome coverage, and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNQ==