Why did the Enterprise not react to human genetic engineering?

Question

In the Next Generation Episode Unnatural Selection it is revealed that the Darwin Genetic Research Station was involved in human genetic modification. But in the Deep Space Nine episode Doctor Bashir, I Presume it is revealed that genetic engineering is outlawed in the Federation.

So why was it that the crew of the Enterprise did not react to the fact that the Darwin Station was working on human genetics? Especially when it was found out that they had created children that were the cause of a deadly disease.

Obviously the facts presented in DSN were not in effect during TNG, but was there any retcon reason given for this?

Answer 1

The topic of Genetic Engineering seems pretty wide in the Federation. There's two examples of legal applications of genetic engineering from that page:

• By the 24th century, the United Federation of Planets allowed limited use of genetic engineering to correct existing genetically-related medical conditions. (Either TNG 7x19 Genesis or DS9 5x16 Doctor Bashir, I Presume; the reference isn't clear)
• In some cases, genetic engineering can be permitted to be performed in utero when dealing with a developing fetus to correct any potential genetic defects that could handicap the child as they grew up. (VOY 5x19 The Fight)

Note that both of these are about making people healthier - not better. This is perfectly in line with what the Darwin Genetic Research Station was supposed to have been doing. The children on the station were guilty of nothing more than an overactive immune system. Their weaponization was an accident.

The ban is primarily meant to prevent people like Khan from being created, after all, so using it for health reasons seems like it would be highly regulated, but not illegal.

Memory Alpha includes a theory that what happened at the research station caused a crackdown in the Federation with regards to genetic manipulation, restricting it even further than it was before. However, except for the existence of the station, I don't think there's anything that really supports that theory.

Answer 2

The problem with the theory that it's okay to engineer the children to be healthier ignores the fact that the children were also engineered to be both Telepathic AND Telekinetic. My personal theory is that Darwin Station was outside of Federation jurisdiction. The Enterprise-D encountered a whole colony of humans that were the result of selective breeding practices. The episode was "The Masterpeice Society". Even though they were human they were an isolationist society which would technically mean they were not considered part of the Federation. They were outside Federation jurisdiction. Theoretically any attempt to intigrate into the Federation would see them banned from joining Starfleet like other augments, but otherwise free to live a "normal" life as a Federation citizen.

I always just assumed Darwin Station must have been like the Moab Colony. But a little more cooperative with the Federation. Which makes sense. If they're not part of the Federation then the Federation can't technically stop them from doing their research. But the Federation would certainly want to keep an eye on that research so they worked out an arrangement that allowed the Federation to at least be involved and keep a close eye on the situation.

According to Memory Alpha, a non-canon novel has a scene where Picard refers to Darwin Station as an exception to the rule which never should have been allowed. Which also makes a certain sense. Sort of like the Defiant's cloaking device was an exception to the treaty with the Romulans which banned the Federation from using Cloaks (with the Romulan's blessing). Either explanation works but I prefer my own.