Medical research always carries risk, and this even more true for gene editing, which makes heritable changes. It has the potential to eradicate single-gene diseases, like Huntington’s Disease, in the not-too-distant future, but there are potential trade-offs. One enduring fear is that diversity will be lost as the range of acceptable traits narrows. Whether we should use gene editing in humans is a matter of urgent ethical debate. How we should use it, if we do, raises a series of complex issues that will challenge our agreed ethical principles and regulatory frameworks. Although the technology is in its infancy, the time to start addressing the ethical and regulatory issues is now. Hear an ethical perspective from Julian Savulescu, PhD, Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics Director, Oxford Oehiro Centre for Practical Ethics Co-Director, Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities University of Oxford. This Conversation About Ethics consists of two events:
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to articulate ethical reasons for and against pursuing gene-editing trials in humans.
- Participants will be able to describe potential impacts of human gene-editing on individuals directly affected by the technology, members of society who may be affected in less direct ways, and humanity in general.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to articulate ethical reasons for and against pursuing gene-editing trials in humans.
- Participants will be able to describe potential impacts of human gene-editing on individuals directly affected by the technology, members of society who may be affected in less direct ways, and humanity in general.
- Participants will be able to describe justifications for and objections to moral bioenhancement.
Julian Savulescu, PhD, has held the Uehiro Chair in Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford since 2002. Dr. Savulescu has degrees in medicine, neuroscience and bioethics, directs the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics within the Faculty of Philosophy, and leads a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator award on Responsibility and Health Care.
In 2017, Dr. Savulescu joined the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, spending four months per year as Visiting Professorial Fellow in Biomedical Ethics, and Melbourne University as Distinguished International Visiting Professor in Law.
A leader in medical and practical ethics, with more than 400 publications, an h index of 63 and over 15, 000 citations in total. Dr. Savulescu spent 10 years as Editor of the Journal of Medical Ethics, the highest impact journal in the field, and is founding editor of Journal of Practical Ethics, an open access journal in Practical Ethics.
Conversations About Ethics is presented by Methodist Healthcare Ministries, UT Health San Antonio Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics and The Ecumenical Center.