Genetic Editing of Embryos: Ethical Considerations

Medgar Evers College

Saturday, June 8
9:00am-9:30am

Since 1982 scientists and society have debated the prospects of genetically modifying embryos for eliminating and preventing diseases or for creating “better” human beings. I shall discuss the origins and evolution of these debates, examine the religious, ideological, socio-ethical considerations in reaching a consensus, and address the reaction of the world scientific community to the claims by a Chinese scientist of creating HIV resistant babies by genetically modifying human embryos. While science has acquired the methods to genetically alter the human species, should society allow this power to be unleashed?

Sheldon Krimsky

Sheldon Krimsky is Lenore Stern Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences in the Department of Urban & Environmental Policy & Planning in the School of Arts & Sciences and Adjunct Professor in Public Health and Community Medicine in the School of Medicine at Tufts University. Sites.tufts.edu/sheldonkrimsky

He received his BS and MS in physics from Brooklyn College, CUNY and Purdue University respectively, and an MA and PhD in philosophy at Boston University. His research focuses on the linkages between science/technology, ethics/values and public policy. He has authored, co-authored or edited 16 books and published over 200 papers and reviews that have appeared in: JAMA, Nature, Nature Genetics, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Medicine, NEJM, American Journal of Bioethics, The Lancet, Plos One, and Plos Biology among others.

Professor Krimsky served on the National Institutes of Health’s Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee from 1978-1981. He was a consultant to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and to the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment. He is Board and Founding member of the Council for Responsible Genetics, Fellow of the AAAS and the Hastings Center. Professor Krimsky also was invited to contribute an amicus brief in a Supreme Court case King v Maryland on forensic DNA and privacy.

Professor Krimsky is Associate Editor of Accountability in Research and serves on the editorial board of Ethics in Biology, Engineering and Medicine, Science, Technology & Human Values, on the International Editorial Advisory Board of New Genetics & Society.

Website: sites.tufts.edu/sheldonkrimsky
Email: sheldon.krimsky@tufts.edu