Audio Transcript Auto-generated
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the ethical challenges of gene editing by Emmett Pennington Guthrie
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consent. The first ethical issue to be considered with regards
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to gene editing is that of consent.
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The overlying problem here is something called informed consent, which
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refers to the necessity of explaining the parents everything about
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the technology, as Erica johnson puts it in her article
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informed consent for human embryo, genome editing, informed consent for
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a study employing genome editing and implantation of embryos will
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pose significant challenges, not the least of which will be
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explaining the science itself.
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It must be communicated that as an experimental technology.
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The risks are incompletely known.
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It's not seen as acceptable to allow uninformed parents to
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have the technology used on their Children, and for ethical
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reasons, it is necessary to ensure parents are communicated honestly
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with about gene editing.
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This is one of the more clear cut ethical issues
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around gene editing, but it has to be considered because
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if ignored, it poses the risk of allowing gene editing
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technology to cause harm to unwitting victims equality.
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One of the biggest ethical qualms about gene editing, regards
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equality of its use as minorities and the poor may
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not have equal access to the technology when or if
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it seeds wider use in justice and CRISPR slash CAS
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nine Research and clinical applications by Clara Hildebrandt and Jonathan
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Marron. It's pointed out that, quote, minority groups in the
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United States have repeatedly experienced unequal and unethical treatment in
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research end, quote, this has led to problems such as
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underrepresentation of minorities and genetic databases and to this day,
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minorities suffer worse health outcomes across the US.
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It's feared that the use of genetic thing will further
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disadvantaged minorities because of ongoing problems with health outcomes and
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lower access to good treatment.
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Which raises concerns that minorities wouldn't get the access they
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deserve to gene editing technology in the future.
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This is further supported by the low representation of minorities
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and genetic databases, which may make it harder in the
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future for gene editing to be effective for minority populations.
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As there's less understanding of genetic diseases in these groups.
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In order to ethically use gene editing technologies.
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One of the hurdles is providing access to those who
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need it equally and without considering racial minorities, this becomes
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an impossible step eugenics here, I've put a comic in
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that I thought made the concerns of eugenics and gene
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editing clearer the gist of it, being that there's no
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one correct ideal human and that it isn't right to
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let our biased selves steam certain humans better than others.
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The dangers outlined by robert ran ish in eugenics is
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back historic references in current discussions of Germline gene editing
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are considered to be quote, the impact on succeeding generations,
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as well as non therapeutic applications.
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End, quote in particular, this is feared to lead to
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dangers such as quote discrimination and uniformity.
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End quote.
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In essence, gene editing is seen as a potential means
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for eugenics to occur.
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And with it all the ethical issues that arise with
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that in mind, it's clear that the ethics of the
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application of gene editing technology need to be carefully considered
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before its use becomes widespread.
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Safety. DDT was a chemical with unintended consequences that made
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it dangerous despite its usefulness as a pesticide.
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And it's a great example of the harm that can
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arise from not understanding everything about a scientific development.
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Gene editing is feared to have unknown side effects with
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the potential to harm humans, such as quote off target
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mutations that raise the specter of cancer.
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End quote as lisa Rosenbaum states in the future of
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genetic towards scientific and social consensus as it isn't yet
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fully understood stood what dangers might arise from gene editing
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and particularly heritable genetics.
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There's an ongoing ethical debate around whether the benefits of
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gene editing, such as the removal of inherited genetic problems
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outweigh the potential harms.
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Given that the level of risk isn't yet fully understood.
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It's difficult to assess the risk reward balance and some
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even ask the question of whether we should wait until
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the technology is known to be completely safe before we
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take any risk at all.
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As Rosenbaum writes, no one knows how off target effects
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may manifest in humans, who live much longer than the
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animals that have been studied.
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How unknowns and differences in lifespan may impact.
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The harms of gene editing is a major question.
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And interpreting its answers is one of the biggest ethical
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dilemmas of gene editing.
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Human dignity modification of the human genome occurring through gene
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editing. Technology is feared by some to be a violation
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of human dignity.
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Inigo de Miguel Berrien in his article Human dignity and
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gene editing rights.
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According to some bioethical arguments and legal documents.
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Germline modification would threaten human dignity since they consider the
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human genome as the physical representation of human dignity.
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There is, however, no universal definition of what human dignity
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is, although there are generalized beliefs about what it should
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be. In essence, this debate is around whether intentionally changing
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the human genome detracts from human dignity, which is an
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ethical question with a great deal of possible interpretation.
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And lastly, the sources, thank you very much.