title: From what should we protect future generations: germ-line therapy or genetic screening?
abstract: This paper discusses the issue of whether we have responsibilities to future generations with respect to genetic screening, including for purposes of selective abortion or discard. Future generations have been discussed at length among scholars. The concept of 'Guardian for Future Generations' is tackled and its main criticisms discussed. Whilst germ-line cures, it is argued, can only affect family trees, genetic screening and testing can have wider implications. If asking how this may affect future generations is a legitimate question and since we indeed make retrospective moral judgements, it would be wise to consider that future generations will make the same retrospective judgements on us. Moreover such technologies affect present embryos to which we indeed can be considered to have an obligation.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mallia
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: ten Have
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000941:ethics; D032984:Ethics, Research; D005060:Europe; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000941:ethics*; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D028681:Moral Obligations; D012941:Social Responsibility