Abstract

Changing the genetic makeup of living beings is expected to transform several fields of biomedicine giving rise to a number of ethical challenges including in therapy and reproductive procedures. Against this background, however, it is important to determine whether a non-heritable (somatic) procedure is taking place, which may be comparable to conventional therapy, or whether the procedure generates a heritable genetic modification which may give rise to the selection or deselection of possible future children. In this last case, the following ethical choices may then be considered. First, individuals and society may choose to believe that all lives are equal in worth and value, making any selection and classification between possible future children meaningless. Secondly, individuals and society may believe that all possible future children are equal in value but choose not to bring a certain kind of child into existence because they recognise that they themselves or society lack the necessary support and/or capacity to look after such a child. Finally, individuals and society may decide not to bring a certain kind of child into existence, because the value of his or her life is considered to be unacceptable even though they have the resources and support necessary to look after such a child. If this last choice is accepted, however, it would also mean sanctioning selective eugenic decisions between possible future children.