Chapitre 2. What is wrong in modifying the human germ line?

Abstract

Mitocondrial gene therapy may induce the modification of the germ line of the patients and affect their progeny. As such, some bioethicists have advocated that such technique should be banned on the basis of the current regulation on human germ line gene modifications (HGM). In this paper I will address the ethical implications of mitocondrial gene therapy. I will advocate that the arguments claiming the ethical legitimacy of MDT in the light of the ‘inadvertent’ consequences for the human germ line are fragile. I will support the need for arguments saying that side effects of UMD would not affect its ethical legitimacy but rather re-consider the ethics of HGM by advocating its ethical legitimacy on the basis of an ethical assessment which focuses on the interest of the person undergoing such a manipulation rather than his/her descendants.