Scientists are now allowed to alter genetic code in human embryos to cure infertility in Britain, where this controversial technique has spurred many ethical debates across the field.

Scientists use gene editing to directly modify the human genome using surgical methods on a molecular level. This can alter the genetic blueprint of a human, animal or plant.

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This method is based on precision compared to traditional selective breeding or earlier genetic engineering techniques. Apart from this, gene editing is used to modify food crops or livestock and also for further research about disease as Chinese researchers released an announcement last year when they manipulated non-viable human embryos to look for a cure for a rare blood disorder.

Now, Britain is now the next nation that allows scientists to edit genes in human embryos, although only restricting on research on fertility and miscarriages at the Francis Crick Institute in London. These human embryos that are limited for research are those that are already destroyed, donated by couples who are undergoing in-vitro fertilization treatment, since they are no longer needed. 

Under this licence, it requires human embryos to be destroyed in a span of two weeks which will be regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

Scientists would further develop more regulations for using this method however, others are still concerned that this gene editing technique will soon be used for making "designer babies" with selected physical and intellectual traits.

Currently, there are several forms of gene editing involving genes that are removed from or added to the genome. The human genome is composed of long strings of DNA of about 3 billion base pairs of about 20,000 to 25,000 genes. Using gene editing, it is now possible to remove these base pairs of DNA or insert at exact locations using molecular "scissors".

Researchers can now "cut out" disease causing genes with cancer or repair a mutation. Human gene editing methods can also be divided into two groups where engineers can change genes during the lifetime of a human or an organism or genes that can be passed down to the next generation.

The newest method known as the CRISPR/Cas9 has already been widely used by researchers since it is more precise, cheaper and simpler to use. It is also considered to be the best technique to edit genomes of developing embryos.

The ethical issue behind this genetic modification is that the DNA changes if the embryo would survive and live into an adult, where these changes can be passed on to its offspring, ultimately disrupting the process of natural evolution.