The concern of this chapter is to interrogate those genetic practices that either directly or indirectly draw on genetic knowledge in order to change human functioning. It is important to elaborate, at the outset, what is known scientifically about the possibilities on offer arising out of genetic knowledge, as well as the implications of this knowledge. Our current state of knowledge about how genes work, for example, will give some indication of the prospects for both somatic gene therapy and inherited genetic modifications (IGM) of all kinds. Other areas that are relevant for ethical debate include those fields that draw specifically on genetic knowledge in order to design novel treatments for disease, as in, for example, stem-cell ‘therapy’. In parallel with genetic screening, the ethical issues arising out of this burgeoning genetic knowledge include not only immediate cases to hand, but also wider social issues connected with the impact of medicine on societal and political functions, such as those concerned with autonomy, justice and community. I will argue for the relevance of situating prudential decision-making with the cardinal virtues of justice and temperance in order to discern the way forward in contested areas of ethical debate arising out of these relatively new technologies.

SCIENTIFIC ISSUES IN GENETIC INTERVENTION

Because genetic science is so complex, this section can do no more than highlight those areas that are relevant for an adequate understanding of the possibilities inherent in genetic modification in humans.