Bài đọc nâng cao số 4 — The Ethics of Genetic Engineering

Thời gian khuyến nghị: 15 phút | Độ khó: B2-C1 | 10 câu hỏi trắc nghiệm

Passage: The Ethics of Genetic Engineering — Promise, Peril, and the CRISPR Revolution

The development of CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology has ushered in a new era in biological sciences, one that holds extraordinary promise for medicine, agriculture, and environmental conservation, but also raises profound ethical questions that society has only begun to grapple with. CRISPR, which stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, allows scientists to make precise alterations to DNA sequences with unprecedented accuracy, speed, and affordability. What once required years of laborious genetic manipulation can now be accomplished in weeks, democratizing access to gene-editing capabilities across research institutions worldwide.

The therapeutic potential of CRISPR is immense. Clinical trials are currently underway for gene therapies targeting sickle cell disease, beta-thalassemia, certain forms of hereditary blindness, and various cancers. In 2023, the first CRISPR-based therapy — Casgevy, developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics — received regulatory approval in both the United Kingdom and the United States for the treatment of sickle cell disease. This milestone represented a watershed moment: for the first time, a treatment could address the root genetic cause of a disease rather than merely managing its symptoms. The implications for thousands of genetic disorders affecting millions of people globally are staggering.

However, the same technology that enables the correction of disease-causing mutations also opens the door to more controversial applications. Germline editing — modifications to embryos, eggs, or sperm that are heritable and would be passed to future generations — represents perhaps the most ethically fraught frontier. In 2018, Chinese scientist He Jiankui shocked the scientific community by announcing the birth of twin girls whose genomes he had edited using CRISPR to confer resistance to HIV. The experiment was widely condemned as premature, reckless, and ethically indefensible, not only because the long-term effects of such modifications are unknown, but because it crossed a line that the global scientific community had agreed should not be crossed without extensive deliberation and oversight.

Beyond medicine, genetic engineering raises questions about equity, access, and the potential for exacerbating existing social inequalities. If gene therapies remain prohibitively expensive — current treatments can cost over $2 million per patient — they risk becoming available exclusively to the wealthy, creating a genetic divide that mirrors and reinforces economic stratification. The specter of "designer babies," in which parents could theoretically select for traits such as intelligence, height, or athletic ability, further compounds these concerns. Critics argue that such capabilities could lead to a new form of eugenics, one driven not by state coercion but by market forces and individual consumer choice.

The regulatory landscape surrounding genetic engineering is fragmented and evolving. The United States, European Union, China, and other jurisdictions have adopted markedly different approaches to oversight, creating a patchwork of regulations that some observers warn could encourage "regulatory tourism" — researchers relocating to jurisdictions with the least restrictive frameworks. International bodies such as the World Health Organization have called for a global governance framework, but achieving consensus among nations with divergent ethical traditions, economic interests, and scientific capacities remains a formidable challenge. As the technology continues to advance at a pace that outstrips regulatory development, the need for thoughtful, inclusive, and adaptive governance has never been more urgent.

Câu hỏi trắc nghiệm

Câu 1. What is the central theme of this passage?

A. CRISPR technology is too dangerous and should be banned entirely
B. Genetic engineering offers tremendous benefits but raises serious ethical and regulatory challenges
C. Gene therapy is only beneficial for wealthy individuals
D. He Jiankui's experiment was a major scientific breakthrough

Câu 2. What does CRISPR stand for?

A. Controlled Repeat Integrated Sequence Processing and Regulation
B. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
C. Central Research Institute for Synthetic Protein Research
D. Clinical Research in Systematic Pathogen Resistance

Câu 3. The word "watershed" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to:

A. Insignificant
B. Controversial
C. A turning point of great significance
D. A type of laboratory equipment

Câu 4. Why was He Jiankui's experiment condemned by the scientific community?

A. The twins did not survive the procedure
B. It was premature, reckless, and crossed an agreed ethical boundary without proper oversight
C. HIV resistance had already been achieved through conventional medicine
D. The experiment was too expensive to be practical

Câu 5. What concern does the passage raise about the cost of gene therapies?

A. They are too cheap to generate research funding
B. High costs could limit access to the wealthy, deepening social inequality
C. Insurance companies refuse to cover any medical treatments
D. The cost has no effect on accessibility

Câu 6. The term "germline editing" refers to:

A. Editing genes in adult patients only
B. Modifications to embryos, eggs, or sperm that can be inherited by future generations
C. A type of gene therapy that treats cancer
D. Removing all genetic information from a cell

Câu 7. What does "regulatory tourism" mean in the context of this passage?

A. Scientists traveling for conferences about regulations
B. Researchers moving to countries with less restrictive rules to conduct experiments
C. Governments promoting tourism through genetic research
D. Patients traveling abroad for cheaper medical treatment

Câu 8. According to the passage, what was the significance of Casgevy's approval?

A. It was the first gene therapy to cost less than $100
B. It was the first CRISPR-based therapy to receive regulatory approval for treating a disease at its genetic root
C. It proved that gene editing can enhance intelligence
D. It replaced all previous treatments for cancer

Câu 9. What does the author suggest about the pace of technological advancement versus regulation?

A. Regulations are developing faster than the technology
B. Technology and regulation are advancing at exactly the same pace
C. Technology is advancing faster than regulatory frameworks can keep up
D. There is no need for regulation in genetic engineering

Câu 10. Which of the following best summarizes the author's perspective?

A. Genetic engineering should be immediately halted worldwide
B. Only private companies should regulate gene editing
C. Thoughtful governance is urgently needed to balance innovation with ethical responsibility
D. The market should be the sole determinant of genetic engineering applications

Đáp án và giải thích

Từ vựng khó