Claims of CRISPR Being Used to Edit Genomes of Twin Girls Born in 2018

The feet of infant twins stick out from swaddling blankets.

Lesson Plan

Description

This lesson uses various articles to explore a range of topics (e.g., HIV, public health, informed consent) that impact the 2018 story that two children were claimed to have been born with CRISPR edits in their genomes. These articles will give students a sense of the complexity of this case, a historical perspective for examining what happened, and a reminder that at the heart of this story are the two girls and their parents. The goal of this lesson is to encourage students to think critically about the information they are hearing in the news, as the facts about what happened continue to emerge.

Last reviewed February 2025.

PGED is currently working to update this resource.

Activities

Article analysis and student handouts (25-30 minutes), discussion (25-30 minutes).

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Claims of CRISPR Being Used to Edit Genomes of Twin Girls Born in 2018

Description

Activities

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