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Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Human Beings

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Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics

Abstract

Although genetically modified human beings have been a staple of science fiction for a long time, recent technological developments make human genetic modification plausible. It is true that some genetic modifications such as enhancement of cognitive capacities or of physical appearance are still speculative, but some others such as the modification of the mitochondrial content of the egg in order to avoid certain types of mitochondrial diseases might soon be used in human beings. This entry describes recent advances in genetic engineering technologies that can plausibly be used to genetically modify human beings at the level of the germline. On this note, it presents some of the ethical arguments for and against such genetic modifications.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Ethics, Weill Cornell Medical College – Cornell University, New York, NY, USA

    Inmaculada de Melo-Martín

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  1. Inmaculada de Melo-Martín
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Correspondence to Inmaculada de Melo-Martín .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Duquesne University Center for Healthcare Ethics, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Henk ten Have

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de Melo-Martín, I. (2015). Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Human Beings. In: ten Have, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Global Bioethics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_210-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05544-2_210-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-05544-2

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