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Report17th July 2018

Genome editing and human reproduction: social and ethical issues

This report sets out guiding principles for ethical use, and recommendations for policy and practice should genome editing become available as a reproductive option for prospective parents.
Reproduction, parenthood & familiesGenomicsAssisted reproductionEmbryo and stem cell research

Background

This report delves into the social and ethical issues raised by the use of genome editing as a technology that could influence inherited characteristics in humans.

The potential development of genome editing applications in human reproduction was one of the areas identified as requiring urgent ethical scrutiny in our 2016 report Genome editing: an ethical review.

The report sets out the range of ethical issues that arise in relation to the prospect of genome editing becoming available as a reproductive option for prospective parents.

Key points

The report recommends that two overarching principles should guide the use of ‘heritable genome editing interventions’ for them be ethically acceptable:

It further recommend that heritable genome editing interventions should be permitted only when:

It adds that, if it were to be permitted, it should be: