12.3 Somatic Cell Therapies and the Problem of Enhancement Engineering:

Recent gene therapy discussions insist that somatic cell procedures should be revised for “ serious disease”. This is due to the highly experimental nature of procedures and the lack of sufficient experience for determination of the incidence and seriousness of side effects.

That accompanies various types of cellular alterations.

What is a serious disease? Despite the diversity of religion, cultures and world views, we believe the international community would reach virtual unanimity on a long list of serious diseases, and that list would include current targets of genet therapy protocols such as Cystic Fibrosis, ADA deficiency, Fanconi Anemia, Cancer and AIDS. Moreover, some kind of protocols that enhance human performance, for example by putting in genes that protect an individual against serious disease, must be conceptualized as protocols aimed at that serious diseases, and not objected to as efforts to improve mere behavioral traits.

Finally, should somatic cell gene therapy procedures that are designed to enhance performance in someway or another be regarded categorically as violations of international human rights principles or other religious or moral values, if so which one and why ?

We think that there is no need to speak out now against possible future misuses of enhancements, without first having a description of their characteristics. However, it may be appropriate to speak out against any possible use of such procedures to diminish human capacities.