Geneva Statement on Heritable Human Genome Editing: The Need for Course Correction

Roberto Andorno; Françoise Baylis; Marcy Darnovsky; Donna Dickenson; Hille Haker; Katie Hasson; Leah Lowthorp; George J Annas; Catherine Bourgain; Katherine Drabiak; Sigrid Graumann; Katrin Grüber; Matthias Kaiser; David King; Regine Kollek; Calum MacKellar; Jing-Bao Nie; Osagie K Obasogie; Mirriam Tyebally Fang; Gabriele Werner-Felmayer; Jana Zuscinova

doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.12.022

Geneva Statement on Heritable Human Genome Editing: The Need for Course Correction

Trends Biotechnol. 2020 Apr;38(4):351-354. doi: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.12.022. Epub 2020 Jan 31.

Authors

Roberto Andorno¹, Françoise Baylis², Marcy Darnovsky³, Donna Dickenson⁴, Hille Haker⁵, Katie Hasson⁶, Leah Lowthorp⁷, George J Annas⁸, Catherine Bourgain⁹, Katherine Drabiak¹⁰, Sigrid Graumann¹¹, Katrin Grüber¹², Matthias Kaiser¹³, David King¹⁴, Regine Kollek¹⁵, Calum MacKellar¹⁶, Jing-Bao Nie¹⁷, Osagie K Obasogie¹⁸, Mirriam Tyebally Fang¹⁹, Gabriele Werner-Felmayer²⁰, Jana Zuscinova²¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Law of the University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
² Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
³ Center for Genetics and Society, Berkeley, CA, USA.
⁴ Medical Ethics and Humanities, University of London, London, UK.
⁵ Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
⁶ Center for Genetics and Society, Berkeley, CA, USA. Electronic address: khasson@geneticsandsociety.org.
⁷ University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
⁸ Center for Health Law, Ethics and Human Rights, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
⁹ Center for Research in Medicine, Science, Health, Mental Health, and Society, National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), Paris, France.
¹⁰ College of Public Health and College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
¹¹ Protestant University of Applied Sciences, Bochum, Germany.
¹² Institut Mensch, Ethik und Wissenschaft, Berlin, Germany.
¹³ Centre for the Study of the Sciences and Humanities (SVT), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
¹⁴ Human Genetics Alert, London, UK.
¹⁵ Hamburg University, Hamburg, Germany.
¹⁶ Scottish Council on Human Bioethics, Edinburgh, UK.
¹⁷ Bioethics Centre, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
¹⁸ Center for Genetics and Society, Berkeley, CA, USA; University of California, Berkeley, Joint Medical Program, School of Public Health, Berkeley, CA, USA.
¹⁹ Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
²⁰ Institute of Biological Chemistry and Bioethics Network Ethucation, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
²¹ EPP Working Group on Bioethics and Human Dignity, European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium.

PMID: 32014274
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.12.022

Abstract

As public interest advocates, policy experts, bioethicists, and scientists, we call for a course correction in public discussions about heritable human genome editing. Clarifying misrepresentations, centering societal consequences and concerns, and fostering public empowerment will support robust, global public engagement and meaningful deliberation about altering the genes of future generations.

Keywords: embryo; ethics; genome editing; germline; public engagement.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Bioethical Issues
Embryo, Mammalian
Gene Editing / ethics*
Genome, Human / genetics*
Germ Cells
Humans