Recoding a Baby

 

Doctors at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania, appear to have successfully used gene editing to treat a baby with a severe genetic condition. That condition generally kills 50% of infants in early infancy. The doctors completed the complex design, manufacture and safety testing of the baby's personalised therapy in a mere 6 months. The baby has received several infusions of the therapy and currently appears to be in a healthy condition (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/may/15/us-doctors-rewrite-dna-of-infant-with-severe-genetic-disorder-in-medical-first ). This seems to be the first example of gene editing being successfully used to 'rewrite' a child's DNA. The baby concerned will, of course, need to be monitored for an extended period to ensure the benefits persist. Using gene editing in this way is labour-intensive and requires fast action.