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2 years ago in Bioethics , Research Ethics By Vineet
What established ethical frameworks are used to guide responsible genetic research and its applications?
When an ethical dilemma arises in my lab, we need principled tools for analysis. Are frameworks like principlism, human rights approaches, or precautionary principles actually applied in contemporary genetics, and how do they translate into actionable protocols?
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By Akash Answered 1 year ago
Several complementary frameworks guide practice. Principlism (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice) is foundational for analyzing specific dilemmas, like those in consent forms. The Precautionary Principle is critical for novel, irreversible applications like germline editing, urging caution despite uncertainty. A Human Rights Framework ensures applications do not enable discrimination and uphold dignity. Increasingly, Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) is adopted, which mandates anticipating impacts, engaging the public, and acting with reflexive responsibility. From my work on ethics boards, we don't use one alone; we layer them. Principlism addresses immediate consent; RRI shapes the project's design from the start to be socially robust and responsive.
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