Interventions in the human genome: some moral and ethical considerations

Area of Science:

• Genetics and Bioethics
• Molecular Biology
• Medical Ethics

Background:

• Current gene therapy ethical debates primarily focus on the nuclear genome (nDNA).
• Advances in genetics necessitate the inclusion of mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) and associated diseases in ethical considerations.
• Existing ethical frameworks for gene therapy often overlook the distinct implications of targeting mtDNA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel three-dimensional ethical framework for gene therapy.
• To incorporate genomic type (nDNA vs. mtDNA) as a critical dimension in ethical analysis.
• To provide a comprehensive review of ethical arguments for somatic gene therapy and germline cell manipulations.

Main Methods:

• Development of a three-dimensional ethical framework integrating genomic type, target cell, and purpose.
• Review of contemporary ethical arguments for somatic gene therapy, categorized by bioethical-pragmatic, socio-political, and deontological perspectives.
• Critical summary of international and German perspectives on germline gene therapy ethics.

Main Results:

• Somatic gene therapy is broadly accepted, with many ethical concerns mirroring established research ethics issues.
• The proposed framework expands ethical considerations beyond nDNA to include mtDNA.
• International and German ethical discussions on germline gene therapy reveal diverse viewpoints.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive ethical debate on gene therapy requires consideration of both nuclear and mitochondrial genomes.
• The proposed three-dimensional framework offers a more nuanced approach to evaluating gene therapy's ethical landscape.
• Further discourse is needed to address the specific ethical challenges posed by mtDNA gene therapy and germline interventions.