Draft Ethical Principles of Therapeutic Assisted Reproductive Technologies
Channel: The He Lab
Date: 2018-11-26

Five Core Principles for Genome Editing in Human Embryos

1.  Mercy for families in need (悲悯之心)
A broken gene, infertility, or a preventable disease should not extinguish life or undermine a loving couple’s union. 
For a few families, early gene surgery may be the only viable way to heal a heritable disease and save a child from a lifetime of suffering. 

2.  Only for serious disease, never vanity (有所为更有所不为)
Gene surgery is a serious medical procedure that should never be used for aesthetics, enhancement, or sex selection purposes — or in any way that would compromise a child’s welfare, joy, or free will. No one has a right to determine a child’s genetics except to prevent disease.
Gene surgery exposes a child to potential safety risks that can be permanent. Performing gene surgery is only permissible when the risks of the procedure are outweighed by a serious medical need. 

3.  Respect a child’s autonomy (探索你自由)
A life is more than our physical body and its DNA. After gene surgery, a child has equal rights to live life freely, to choose his or her occupation, to citizenship, and to privacy. No obligations exist to his or her parents or any organization, including paying for the procedure.

4.  Genes do not define you (生活需要奋斗)
Our DNA does not predetermine our purpose or what we could achieve. We flourish from our own hard work, nutrition, and support from society and our loved ones. Whatever our genes may be, we are equal in dignity and potential.

5.  Everyone deserves freedom from genetic disease (促进普惠的健康权)
Wealth should not determine health. Organizations developing genetic cures have a deep moral obligation to serve families of every background.