Brought to you by Bayer
Acceptance Crispr-Cas stands or falls with confidence
Is it a fantastic new technique that can only benefit the world? Or is it an unnatural way of breeding that we simply shouldn't want?
Few discussions are as polarized as those surrounding traditional genetic modification. Are we heading in the same direction with Gene editing (Crispr-Cas)? Certainly within Europe there is a hard 'for or against' discussion, which means that substantive, scientific arguments are by no means always heard. 'How to proceed with Gene editing - Crispr-Cas?', was therefore the central question during a breakfast session at Wageningen UR, organized by Bayer as a side event during the Crispr-Con conference on 20 and 21 June 2019. ,,We must get away from the yes-and-no discussions and work on renewed confidence among citizens'', was heard in several discussion groups. And: "The success of Crispr-Cas stands or falls with good and useful applications that we make clearly visible and widely available to everyone."
The discussion morning was kicked off by Jorrit Kiewik and Hidde Boersma, director of Slow Food Youth Network (SFYN) and science journalist/documentary maker respectively. In a short pitch, they put forward their views on Crispr-Cas, which at the same time were an impetus for further discussion in the room with an international group of scientists, specialists and interested parties.
Read the report of the meeting here: Acceptance Gene editing stands or falls with trust.
