Genome or gene editing is made possible in the 2010s by new technologies such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) that give scientists the ability to change an organism's DNA. These technologies are often used to replace or eliminate what is considered a "bad gene."

By 2019, there will be a 400% increase in CRISPR-related patents, raising critical concerns about the possibility of changing the genetic makeup at the embryonic stage of a fetus. This is also known as assisted reproductive technology (ART).

Many disability justice and feminist and community health advocates fight against the deselection of "bad genes" based on ableist and eugenic notions of "healthy genes."