Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Human germline gene therapy reconsidered.

D B Resnik1, P J Langer

  • 1Department of Medical Humanities, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858-4354, USA. resnikd@mail.ecu.edu

Human Gene Therapy
|August 4, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Human germline genome modification (HGLGM) offers a precise term for genetic alterations, challenging the therapy vs. enhancement debate. While potentially useful for preventing genetic diseases, HGLGM faces significant safety and efficacy concerns.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Re-consenting human subjects: ethical, legal and practical issues.

Journal of medical ethics·2009
Same author

Responsibility for health: personal, social, and environmental.

Journal of medical ethics·2007
Same author

Eliminating the daily life risks standard from the definition of minimal risk.

Journal of medical ethics·2005
Same author

Developing drugs for the developing world: an economic, legal, moral, and political dilemma.

Developing world bioethics·2003
Same author

The hazards of studying human genetic variation.

Politics and the life sciences : the journal of the Association for Politics and the Life Sciences·2003
Same author

The conflict between ethics and business in community pharmacy: what about patient counseling?

Journal of business ethics : JBE·2003

Area of Science:

  • Biomedical Ethics
  • Genetics
  • Biotechnology Policy

Background:

  • The terminology surrounding human germline gene therapy (HGLGT) is debated.
  • Distinctions between therapy, prevention, and enhancement in genetics are unclear.
  • Ethical and policy analyses of germline modifications are evolving.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To reevaluate the concept of human germline gene therapy (HGLGT).
  • To propose alternative terminology for germline genetic alterations.
  • To analyze the ethical implications of genetic enhancement and therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of biomedical, biotechnological, and ethical developments.
  • Conceptual analysis of terminology in human genetics.
  • Ethical and policy evaluation of germline genome modification.
Keywords:
Analytical ApproachGenetics and Reproduction

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • "Gene therapy" is an inadequate descriptor for germline genetic alterations; "human germline genome modification" (HGLGM) is proposed.
  • Genetic enhancement may be less morally problematic than assumed due to blurred lines with therapy/prevention.
  • HGLGM could be the most appropriate method for specific cases of preventing genetic disease birth.
  • Significant ethical and scientific challenges regarding safety and efficacy persist.

Conclusions:

  • The term HGLGM offers greater precision than HGLGT.
  • The ethical landscape of genetic interventions requires nuanced understanding beyond simple therapy/enhancement dichotomies.
  • HGLGM has potential applications but requires rigorous scientific and ethical scrutiny before widespread consideration.