By Myrisha S. Lewis
Despite religious and ethical objections, assisted reproductive technology (ART), including in vitro fertilization and egg freezing, manages to flourish in the United States, with some states and companies even creating regimes for its insurance coverage. However, reproductive genetic innovation — a term I use to refer to the combination of assisted reproduction with genetic modification or substitution — has yet to receive the same acceptance. Examples of reproductive genetic innovation include mitochondrial transfer, cytoplasmic transfer, and germline gene editing.
Moreover, while many scientists, regulators, and members of the public have called for societal discourse or consensus related to individual reproductive genetic innovation techniques, these calls rarely include an explanation as to how these discourses would be conducted. In a recent article, Normalizing Reproductive Genetic Innovation, I offer four potential avenues for structuring a societal discourse in the U.S. on the topic.