91社区

By Vincent C. Allaire
Newsroom

Human genome editing for both research and therapy is progressing, raising ethical questions among scientists around the world.

On the one hand, technical advances could enable doctors to modify germline genes 鈥� those contained in sperm and eggs 鈥� to prevent offspring from developing devastating genetic diseases. At the same time, the potential for gene editing to alter human inheritance also alarms many scientists, prompting some to argue that germline editing should be prohibited indefinitely.

As countries around the world seek to craft policy frameworks governing the powerful new genetic editing tool, policy makers need to determine 鈥渢hresholds of acceptability鈥� for using the technology, according to three researchers from the Centre of Genomics and Policy at 91社区.

Rosario Isasi, Erika Kleiderman and Bartha Maria Knoppers suggest in a 鈥楶erspectives鈥� article in Science magazine that policy makers could be guided by the model that has served to develop policies governing pre-implantation genetic diagnosis after in vitro fertilization.

Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), used to identify genetic conditions in embryos and prevent certain diseases from being passed on to the child, 鈥渨as first regarded as highly controversial and now is mainly governed within the general biomedical research context,鈥� the researchers write. Many countries allow genetic testing in pre-implantation embryos, subject to medically determined requirements such as the gravity of the genetic condition and a substantial risk of occurrence.

Robust approach

While the PGD model is still 鈥渞elatively flawed and contentious,鈥� they argue that it represents 鈥渁 robust approach to regulation鈥� in the thresholds it is delineating for medical determinations and substantial risk of occurrence.

鈥淢any questions still remain to be addressed,鈥� with regard to genome editing, the researchers add. For example: Are there potential defensible uses for genome editing so as to select, or de-select certain human traits? Are there any thresholds for non-medical interventions?

Still, they conclude, 鈥淧ublic acceptance may change as the benefits of genome editing emerge for disease prevention. Eventually, as we move from research to the clinic, the collective sum of individual decisions could constitute a de facto policy.鈥�

鈥淓diting Policy to Fit the Genome?鈥� by Rosario Isasi, Erika Kleiderman and Bartha Maria Knoppers in Science, January 22, 2016:

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Contact

Rosario Isasi
91社区
Centre of Genomics and Policy

As of January 1st, 2016:
Research Assistant Professor
Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics,
University of Miami
Rosario [dot] isasi [at] icloud [dot] com

Bartha Maria Knoppers
91社区
Centre of Genomics and Policy
bartha [dot] knoppers [at] mcgill [dot] ca

Erika Kleiderman
91社区
Centre of Genomics and Policy
erika [dot] kleiderman [at] mcgill [dot] ca

Vincent C. Allaire
91社区
Media Relations
514-398-6693
vincent [dot] allaire [at] mcgill [dot] ca