Review What is the secret of life Welcome to the Genetic Revolution Materialist rejection of vitalism Answer February 28 1953 Watson Crick Wilkins Franklin Structure of DNA Phil Biol 2510 Spring 2009 Bryan Benham Antiparallel Double Helix Sugar Phosphate Backbone 4 Nitrogen Bases A T C G Complementarity Read it Manipulate it Lecture 2 2 Welcome to the Genetic Revolution READ Identify DNA Sequences Function Diagnostic and Predictive Testing Screen embryos for genetic diseases Determine Kinship Ancestry How as genetics affected you directly or indirectly MANIPULATE Change DNA sequences GM Micro organisms GM Agriculture Plants and Animals Gene Therapy Engineer Embryos Bioweapons 3 Genetics has a profound impact on society how we live how institutions function how we think about ourselves 4 What are some of the choices we face as a result of the genetic revolution This impact also raises questions and poses challenging choices 5 6 Personal Genome Project www personalgenomes org HGP first draft 2001 of human genome PGP aims to be next step Sequence 100 000 people Collect physical biological psychological sociological data on each individual Create database for research 7 Would you volunteer for PGP PGP 10 8 Example 1 What are the benefits and risks A woman with a history of breast cancer in her family considers being tested for the BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 genes Should she get tested If she does and her sister or mother don t should the the woman share the results of her test If the test is positive what should she do Who benefits who takes the risks Consider consumer genetics Knome 99 500 complete genome 23andMe 399 sample of triats risk ancestry Others Navigenics DNA Ancestry etc 9 Example 2 10 Example 3 Six year old Amelia has a rare disease that requires bone marrow transplants from a genetically similar donor Her parents use IVF and screen for a genetically suitable siblingdonor embryo to be implanted Should the parents be allowed to do this Is this the beginning of a slippery slope to designer babies 11 Sam Homemaker is food shopping at the local supermarket after hearing a news report that approximately 70 of all food consumed in the US contain products from GM crops or livestock Should Sam be concerned What if any thing should can he do 12 Ethics How should we make decisions about these genetic issues Determining what one should do That is determining what is the right wrong good bad better worse action to take Ethics 13 14 What is the difference between an ethical and unethical action What should you do Ethical Leads to good consequences Unethical Leads to bad consequences Weighs everyone s interests Doesn t weigh everyone s interests Upholds an ethical principle or social value Violates an ethical principle or social value Why What are the reasons or rationale for that decision 15 16 Ethics Framework Ethics Framework Principles 1 What are the consequences Consequences P C 2 Whose interests are involved 3 What ethical rules or principles apply I Interests 17 18 1 What are the consequences 2 Whose interests are involved Benefits and Risks or Costs Individuals Short term Groups or Institutions Society at large Long term Past Present or Future P C I P I 19 3 What rules or principles apply C 20 Some Ethical Principles Principle of autonomy Respect persons as self determining People should not be merely used but treated with due consideration for their life plans choices General don t kill steal etc Specific professional codes etc Source Law Religion Personal etc Principles of Beneficence P Maximize benefits reduce risks Do some good do no harm C I 21 How should we respond to genetic revolution Fair and equitable distribution of benefits and risks Everyone should receive their fair share 22 Compare Many applications of genetics cloning genetic engineering etc leads to an inevitable slippery slope to a brave new genetic world A world in which designer babies and engineered organisms illustrate human arrogance human hubris We play God without understanding what we do Scaremongers vs Enthusiasts Prohibitionist vs Libertarian stance Principle of Justice O Neill Onora 2004 DNA and Ethics DNA Changing Science and Society Edited by T Krude Cambridge University Press 166 182 Paraphrase of Leon Kass 23 If we don t play God who will Quote from James Watson 24 O Neil Precautionary Principle Enthusiasts and scaremongers share a tendency to sensationalise to glamorise or to demonise genetic technologies rather than to judge applications in the light of evidence It is hardly surprising that they are both drawn to quite extreme ethical positions O Neil 167 Weak Version take care be prudent and cautious Be cautious when introducing new technology Strong Version avoid any serious possible risks by shifting burden of proof to those who create risk If new technology poses a possible risk especially an irreversible risk it should be shown safe by those introducing that technology before it is implemented 25 O Neil s Observations 26 O Neil again Weak version of PP is extremely plausible commonsense injunction to look before we leap but it doesn t really provide specific guidance for our decisions Strong version of PP is seductive but equally unhelpful because strong PP can be cited as reason to reject any technology since it might have some bad effects caution is illusory unless it is evidence based and is only one of many ethical considerations relevant to the complex decisions that farmers and breeders scientists and policy makers and the public at large have to make We can be cautious we can even choose to err on the side of caution but this requires rigorous consideration of cases and evidence based assessment of new and traditional technologies Prudence and caution are undermined rather than brought to perfection unless we take evidence seriously O Neil 173 27 The work of ethics 28 Ethics Framework The devil inevitably is in the detail The problem is to combine prudence and caution with other ethical concerns such as limiting human and animal suffering improving food security for the poor securing greater justice and benefiting health and welfare Those who take the trouble to think through the details O Neil 172 173 should be rewarded with a more reasonable view of the question even if it is more complex 29 1 What are the consequences 2 Whose interests are involved 3 What ethical rules or principles apply Plus and appreciation of 30 Summary Points History and Meaning of Genetics Impact of Genetic