Negative and positive genetic interventions: is there a moral boundary?

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Medical Ethics
• Genetic Interventions

Background:

• Ethical debates surrounding genetic interventions often distinguish between negative (preventative) and positive (enhancement) applications.
• Claims exist that negative genetic interventions are morally permissible, while positive ones are not.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate the moral distinction between negative and positive genetic interventions.
• To assess the utility of the treatment versus enhancement distinction in guiding healthcare ethics.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical analysis of ethical arguments.
• Conceptual analysis of the negative/positive and treatment/enhancement distinctions.

Main Results:

• The negative/positive distinction in genetic interventions does not establish a clear moral boundary.
• The treatment/enhancement distinction serves as an imperfect guide, offering only 'warning flags' for ethical considerations.

Conclusions:

• The purported moral boundary between negative and positive genetic interventions is not sustainable.
• The treatment/enhancement distinction provides limited, albeit useful, guidance for determining healthcare obligations and ethical permissibility.