Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 22, 2026
08:23
CIRCLE-Seq for Interrogation of Off-Target Gene Editing
Published on: November 1, 2024
1.6K
The Ethics of Germline Gene Editing
Christopher Gyngell1, Thomas Douglas2, Julian Savulescu3
1Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics University of Oxford Littlegate House St Ebbes Street Oxford OX1 1PT UK.
Journal of Applied Philosophy
|September 19, 2017
Summary
Germline Gene Editing (GGE) offers significant potential for disease prevention. Ethical analysis reveals that the arguments supporting GGE development outweigh objections, deeming it morally permissible and desirable.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Bioethics
- Genetics
Background:
- Germline Gene Editing (GGE) presents dual potential as a research tool and therapeutic strategy.
- Despite its promise, GGE faces significant ethical resistance compared to other gene editing techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the ethical arguments for and against the pursuit and funding of Germline Gene Editing.
- To evaluate the moral permissibility and desirability of advancing GGE research and application.
Main Methods:
- Ethical analysis of arguments for and against Germline Gene Editing.
- Examination and refutation of common objections to GGE development.
Main Results:
- A strong ethical case exists for pursuing GGE, particularly for the prevention of genetic diseases.
- Objections raised against GGE were found to be unconvailing.
Conclusions:
- The moral arguments favoring the pursuit of Germline Gene Editing are more compelling than those against it.
- Pursuing GGE is deemed morally permissible and ethically desirable for therapeutic applications.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
00:49What is Genetic Engineering?
80.6K
Overview
80.6K
01:59CRISPR
58.2K
Genome editing technologies allow scientists to modify an organism’s DNA via the addition, removal, or rearrangement of genetic material at specific genomic locations. These types of techniques could potentially be used to cure genetic disorders such as hemophilia and sickle cell anemia. One popular and widely used DNA-editing research tool that could lead to safe and effective cures for genetic disorders is the CRISPR-Cas9 system. CRISPR-Cas9 stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced...
58.2K
01:22Ethics and Bioethics
3.1K
Ethics is a philosophical study of moral actions. Ethics attempts to determine what is valuable for individuals and society. It examines the rational justification of moral judgments and analyzes what is morally just, fair, and right. Bioethics is a sub-discipline of applied ethics that analyzes the philosophical, social, and legal issues in life sciences and medicine. Ethical theories serve as a foundation for decision-making and represent the viewpoints from which people seek direction. They...
3.1K
02:59Animal Mitochondrial Genetics
9.4K
Among all the organelles in an animal cell, only mitochondria have their own independent genomes. Animal mitochondrial DNA is a double-stranded, closed-circular molecule with around 20,000 base pairs. Mitochondrial DNA is unique in that one of its two strands, the heavy, or H, -strand is guanine rich, whereas the complementary strand is cytosine rich and called the light, or L, -strand. Compared to nuclear DNA, mitochondrial DNA has a very low percentage of non-coding regions and is marked by...
9.4K
00:59Gene Therapy
27.7K
Gene therapy is a technique where a gene is inserted into a person’s cells to prevent or treat a serious disease. The added gene may be a healthy version of the gene that is mutated in the patient, or it could be a different gene that inactivates or compensates for the patient’s disease-causing gene. For example, in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) due to a mutation in the gene for the enzyme adenosine deaminase, a functioning version of the gene can be...
27.7K
01:16In-vitro Mutagenesis
16.9K
To learn more about the function of a gene, researchers can observe what happens when the gene is inactivated or “knocked out,” by creating genetically engineered knockout animals. Knockout mice have been particularly useful as models for human diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes.
16.9K