Is Medicine Going Too Far? | Gene Editing, Panaceas, & the Torah w/Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner The Wildescast

Rabbi Wildes is joined by Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner, Senior Rabbi and Executive Director of the Spiritual Care Department at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, where he is responsible for the chaplaincy team and all aspects of spiritual care throughout the health system.

Being an expert in Jewish medical ethics, pastoral care, and health and wellness, Rabbi Weiner shares his thoughts on the future of medicine including the morality of the revolutionary technology of CRISPR Gene Editing which allows doctors to edit genetic DNA to cure all kinds of diseases such as sickle cell anemia but also comes with potential risks if the technology finds its way into the wrong hands.

Rabbi Weiner also discusses the Torah's view on panaceas, (a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases), his experience donating a kidney, the government's role in regulating medicine, and the spiritual rewards that come with the arduous task of being exposed to death and suffering on a daily basis.

Buy Rabbi Weiner's new book "Care and Covenant: A Jewish Bioethic of Responsibility" here: https://tinyurl.com/weinerbook

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introducing Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner
00:02:35 - Path to Becoming A Bioethicist
00:04:23 - Being Around Death & Suffering
00:07:35 - Balancing Being A Rabbi and a Bioethicist
00:10:00 - Torah Insights on Bioethics
00:15:30 - Experience Donating His Kidney
00:22:15 - Revolutionary CRISPR Gene Editing
00:30:10 - Torah View of Panaceas
00:33:30 - Biggest Risk to Humanity
00:36:12 - Government Regulation of Medicine
00:39:40 - Wisdom vs. Technology