Application of CRISPR–Cas in ageing and health equity

The recent advances in CRISPR-Cas technology have shown great potential in tackling age-related diseases and pathologies. However, older people from disadvantaged groups are less likely to have access to this technology compared to those from the more advantaged background. In particular, research shows that older people from certain minority groups may have concerns about participating in CRISPR-Cas-related research due to mistrust of this technology. This may lead to the underrepresentation of certain minority groups in the research, hence affecting the effectiveness of the CRISPR-Cas-related treatment. CRISPR-Cas may also have limited applications for the poor and those who live in less developed regions where this technology is either too expensive or not available. We urge governments to address the issue of equitable access to CRISPR-Cas technology by involving underrepresented groups in research, improving the ethical diversity in genomics databases, and reducing financial barriers to accessing the technology.