"What if" should precede "whether" and "how" in the social conversation around human germline gene editing.
J Community Genet
; 14(4): 371-375, 2023 Aug.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37326787
ABSTRACT
Given the potential large ethical and societal implications of human germline gene editing (HGGE) the urgent need for public and stakeholder engagement (PSE) has been repeatedly expressed. In this short communication, we aim to provide directions for broad and inclusive PSE by emphasizing the importance of futures literacy, which is a skill to imagine diverse and multiple futures and to use these as lenses to look at the present anew. By first addressing "what if" questions in PSE, different futures come into focus and limitations that arise when starting with the "whether" or "how" questions about HGGE can be avoided. Futures literacy can also aid in the goal of societal alignment, as "what if" questions can be answered in many different ways, thereby opening up the conversation to explore a multitude of values and needs of various publics. Broad and inclusive PSE on HGGE starts with asking the right questions.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Aspects:
Ethics
Language:
En
Journal:
J Community Genet
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: