A Virtuous Appraisal of Heritable Genome Editing.

The ethics of heritable genome editing (HGE), or germline engineering, are currently being debated vigorously among scientists and bioethicists, and the Catholic Church has declared the procedure to be morally illicit. While these judgments are based mostly on the justice and consequences of the act, a fruitful approach is to consider HGE from the perspective of the virtuous Christian. This article examines participation in HGE according to the virtues of charity, justice, hope, faith, fortitude, temperance, and prudence. HGE does not appear to be consonant with the virtuous life of a Christian person.
SUMMARY: The article evaluates heritable genome editing (HGE or genetic engineering of embryos) according to the Christian virtues of charity, justice, hope, faith, fortitude, temperance, and prudence. HGE does not seem to be consonant with the virtuous life of a Christian person. © Catholic Medical Association 2020.