New CRISPR gene-editing: the extreme dangers

by Jon Rappoport

March 27, 2018

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Technologynetworks.com (6/26/17): “CRISPR gene editing is taking biomedical research by storm. Providing the ultimate toolbox for genetic manipulation, many new applications for this technology are now being investigated and established. CRISPR systems are already delivering superior genetic models for fundamental disease research, drug screening and therapy development, rapid diagnostics, in vivo editing and correction of heritable conditions and now the first human CRISPR clinical trials.”

All hail.

It’s called CRISPR, a much faster, more precise, and cheaper technique for editing genes. Researchers are in love with it. You can find hundreds of articles and studies fawning over the innovation.

At phys.org, however, we have this, ahem, warning note (5/29/17): “…a new study published in Nature Methods has found that the gene-editing technology can introduce hundreds of unintended mutations into the genome.”

Oops.

“In the new study, the researchers sequenced the entire genome of mice that had undergone CRISPR gene editing in the team’s previous study and looked for all mutations, including those that only altered a single nucleotide.”

“The researchers determined that CRISPR had successfully corrected a gene that causes blindness, but Kellie Schaefer, a PhD student in the lab of Vinit Mahajan, MD, PhD, associate professor of ophthalmology at Stanford University, and co-author of the study, found that the genomes of two independent gene therapy recipients [mice] HAD SUSTAINED MORE THAN 1500 SINGLE-NUCLEOTIDE MUTATIONS AND MORE THAN 100 LARGER [GENE] DELETIONS AND INSERTIONS. None of these DNA mutations were predicted by computer algorithms that are widely used by researchers to look for off-target effects.” (Emphasis is mine.)

“’Researchers who aren’t using whole genome sequencing to find off-target effects may be missing potentially important mutations,’ Dr. Tsang says. ‘Even a single nucleotide change can have a huge impact’.”

Genetic roulette is alive and well.

Spin the wheel, see what numbers come up. Good effects, bad effects, who knows? Step right up and take your chances.

Of course, researchers who admit these tremendous problems remain optimistic. They look forward to “refining the method.” That’s a cover for: “we really don’t know what we’re doing right now.”

Unfortunately, much science operates in this fashion. Launch a new technology, and turn a blind eye to the consequences. For example, place mercury, a devastating neurotoxin, in vaccines. What harm could result—aside from the destruction of children’s brains.

Here is more gushing PR, otherwise known as throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks:

“There are weekly press releases and updates on new advances [in CRISPR] and discoveries made possible with this technology; the first evidence is now emerging that CRISPR-Cas9 could provide cures for major diseases including cancers and devastating human viruses such as HIV-1.” (technologynetworks.com, “CRISPR: Emerging applications for genome editing technology”)

The train has left the station.

And just in case you think only the most careful and competent leading lights of the genetic research community would be permitted to get within a mile of CRISPR, here is more from technologynetworks.com:

“CRISPR-Cas9 systems, tools and basic methodology are very accessible as ready to go toolkits that anyone with lab space and an idea can pick up and start working with…In response to a growing need, companies such as Desktop Genetics have developed open access software to accelerate CRISPR experimentation and analysis.”

That’s good to know. “Anyone with lab space and an idea” can jump on board and have at it.

Do your own cross breeding of the pregnant phrases, “What could possibly go wrong,” and “Nothing to see here, move along,” and you’ve summarized the situation.

“They say they cured my anemia, but now I turn green and purple and I keep falling down.”

If all this isn’t enough to make you see the dangers of CRISPR, consider this statement about engineering human immune cells (T-cells) in a “safer” way. From statnews.com (June 23, 2016):

“The experiment would alter the immune system’s T cells only after they’re removed from a patient. That gives scientists the chance to screen the CRISPR’d cells to make sure only the three intended genes, all involved in making T cells find and destroy tumor cells, are altered. But after those T cells are infused back into a patient to fight melanoma, sarcoma, or myeloma, the CRISPR system can keep editing DNA, and tracking such edits becomes like following a polar bear in a snowstorm.”

Not very comforting. Once set in motion, even under the most protected and limited conditions, CRISPR can keep on working, scrambling genes in unknown ways.


The Matrix Revealed

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Jon Rappoport

The author of three explosive collections, THE MATRIX REVEALED, EXIT FROM THE MATRIX, and POWER OUTSIDE THE MATRIX, Jon was a candidate for a US Congressional seat in the 29th District of California. He maintains a consulting practice for private clients, the purpose of which is the expansion of personal creative power. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, he has worked as an investigative reporter for 30 years, writing articles on politics, medicine, and health for CBS Healthwatch, LA Weekly, Spin Magazine, Stern, and other newspapers and magazines in the US and Europe. Jon has delivered lectures and seminars on global politics, health, logic, and creative power to audiences around the world. You can sign up for his free NoMoreFakeNews emails here or his free OutsideTheRealityMachine emails here.

14 comments on “New CRISPR gene-editing: the extreme dangers

  1. We are seeing the specter of the Magician’s Apprentice: fooling with forces he does not understand.

  2. bleak's-blog says:

    Good news; the kits are up on Amazon !!! I was one of the first to order. With this kit plus my 3D printer, Raspberry Pi and Alexa, I should be able to take over the world.

    Seriously, people should realize that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Your sarcastic “all hail” is right and to carry that allusion further… “for they know not what they do.”

    This reminds me of a sci-fi book, Blood Music by Greg Bear, that I read decades ago. Here is the intro from Amazon…

    “This Hugo and Nebula Award finalist follows present-day events in which the fears concerning the nuclear annihilation of the world subsided after the Cold War and the fear of chemical warfare spilled over into the empty void it left behind. An amazing breakthrough in genetic engineering made by Vergil Ulam is considered too dangerous for further research, but rather than destroy his work, he injects himself with his creation and walks out of his lab, unaware of just how his actions will change the world. Author Greg Bear’s treatment of the traditional tale of scientific hubris is both suspenseful and a compelling portrait of a new intelligence emerging amongst us, irrevocably changing our world.”

    They got the “hubris” part right. They don’t even consider it “too dangerous” now. What once was unspeakable is now not only speakable but doable. Crazy. It was a nightmarish book to read and here we are, almost living it. Until we are literally not living it.

    Anyway, I have to check the tracking on my package should be here on Thursday.

  3. From Quebec says:

    “They say they cured my anemia, but now I turn green and purple and I keep falling down.”(Jon)

    Oh boy, is that you Hillary? LOL.

  4. Sue says:

    Sad, because before they progress to messing with people (which they always ultimately do), the white coated lab ghouls tinker to their hollow hearts’ content on the poor animals, who have no recourse, no protections in place; so the experiments are even more bizarre and horrendously cruel. Millions yearly. It comes back around to bite us on our butts, though. Apathy and lack of empathy always has a steep price attached.

    • bleak's-blog says:

      Thank you for the reminder. Too sad for words. I am a slacktivist; ALF are the real thing. Maybe PETA. I at least buy no products from animal experimenters (see leapingbunny.org) but it isn’t enough.

      “Lab ghouls” is so right. They are lower than animals. Sometimes one can only turn to Universal Law of cause and effect for any kind of consolation. They will get exactly what they deserve when it is their time for judgement.

      • Laura says:

        Sue and Bleak’s-blog: I love what you both said, although vivisectors being “lower than animals” bothers me (Bleak’s); maybe “lower than pond scum”? Animals are not inferior; there’s no contest, in my opinion. As far as this gene editing these power hungry lunatics are drooling about? They need to edit themselves and delete, delete, delete. But of course they won’t, they love their lives, enjoying their cruelty and the suffering of others to the fullest.

  5. When Will It End says:

    Sounds about as stupid as the virus-radiation experiments described in Dr. Mary’s Monkey (true history)…

  6. hell is coming ! says:

    “As it was in the days of Noah……”

  7. Erika says:

    Sounds like an ideal set up for real terrorists. Now they could create a disease specifically targeted to a specific genetic type…

  8. PEACE_IN_SYRIA says:

    Jon,
    Excellent article. DNA is really like a rubies cube, very coordinated motion in several views simultaneously. Change a corner square and 3 views are affected.

    Can you do an article on the $1 DNA Influenza vaccine – the Universal Flu vaccine. They are injecting plasmids into human cells. What is evidence of damage?
    What should those in science ask FDA to monitor in pre-clinical studies.

    • Theodore says:

      “[Artificial] plasmids” — see last paragraph below…

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasmid

      A plasmid is a small DNA molecule within a cell that is physically separated from a chromosomal DNA and can replicate independently. They are most commonly found as small circular, double-stranded DNA molecules in bacteria [simple single-cell life]; however, plasmids are sometimes present in archaea [similar to bacteria] and eukaryotic [complex life (plants, animals, primates, humans)] organisms.

      In nature, plasmids often carry genes that may benefit the survival of the [bacteria] organism…

      While the chromosomes are big and contain all the essential genetic information for living under normal conditions, plasmids usually are very small and contain only additional genes that may be useful to the [bacteria] organism under certain situations or particular conditions.

      Artificial plasmids are widely used as vectors in molecular cloning, serving to drive the replication of recombinant DNA sequences within host organisms. In the laboratory, plasmids may be introduced into a cell via transformation.

  9. abinico warez says:

    It is all about patent profits. It is greed incarnate and beholding to satan and the demons of hell. An unintentionally created genetic monster could end all human life.

  10. A whole new type of medicine in which DNA can be influenced and reprogrammed by words and frequencies WITHOUT cutting out and replacing single genes. https://wakeup-world.com/2011/07/12/scientist-prove-dna-can-be-reprogrammed-by-words-frequencies/

  11. Cool article! You should check out my blog about CRISPR-Cas9: https://therealsciblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/19/crispr-cas9/

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