SCME · Selecting, Creating and Modifying Embryos: the ethics of new reproductive genetic technologies
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2015-09-01 → 2017-08-31
- EU contribution
- €195,455
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Selecting, Creating and Modifying Embryos: the ethics of new reproductive genetic technologies
As a result of the rapid development of genome editing technologies, governments around the world need to examine their regulatory approaches to reproductive technologies. The ethical implications of these technologies is a key input into these considerations. The driving goal of my project was to deeply analyse the ethical, philosophical and policy issues surrounding germline genome editing and other advanced biotechnologies. Such a project is important for society because so much is at stake in regulating these technologies. Genome editing technologies are seen by some as raising very serious ethical worries (such as leading to a world of designer babies and eugenics), and by others as promising to promote human flourishing. Therefore, there is an urgent need to give them systematic ethical scrutiny. The overall objectives of my project were: 1- Systematically analyse arguments about the ethical implications of embryo selection, creation and modification technologies 2- Analyse concepts related to genome editing, such as ‘enhancement’ and ‘eugenics’ 3- Construct an ethically permissible model of the development and implementation of germline genome editing 4- Provide input into public policy debates
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
For over three decades reproductive technologies have been available which allow parents to select between embryos based on their genetic makeup. Soon two novel ways of influencing a child’s genome could also become available. In 2013, personal genomics company 23andMe received a patent to a technology called ‘Gamete Donor Selection Based on Genetic Calculations.’ This technology would allow individuals accessing assisted reproductive services to choose between sperm or egg donors based on the likelihood of the embryos having a particular genetic makeup. Technologies like this allow parents to create rather than select embryos with desirable genetic characteristics. In addition genetic engineering technologies continue to improve. The recently developed ‘CRISPR’ technique provides a more precise way of altering the genome than previous methods, and is the first modification technology with real potential to be used on human embryos. Technologies like this may allow parents to modify the genetic material of existing embryos. These developments are seen by some as raising very serious ethical worries, and by others as promising to promote human flourishing. Therefore there is an urgent need to give them systematic ethical scrutiny. If elected to this fellowship I will conduct a rigorous review of embryo creation, modification and section technologies and their ethical, political and philosophical implications. Built on an in-depth understanding of the science behind these technologies, my project will encompass an analysis of relevant philosophical and ethical issues, before delivering practical policy suggestions. This project will be the first extensive overview of the ethics of embryo creation technologies, the specific ethical issues raised by the CRISPR technique, and the moral and philosophical differences between embryo selection, creation and modification technologies.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD · OxfordCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union