While TB and HIV are not a public health concern in many other nations, these diseases remain epidemics in South Africa. Clearly, people in South Africa have good reason for wanting to ensure that their children are not afflicted by these diseases. Heritable human genome editing (HHGE) could potentially offer a solution, but only if research in this area is allowed to proceed. This is why calls for a global moratorium on HHGE research is misaligned with the needs and expectations of South Africans, and raise concerns about ethical imperialism. A better approach to HHGE research is to encourage it within a clear regulatory framework. Read the full argument here.

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