ABSTRACT

This article critically reviews the current availability and selected use of genetic technologies for horses, before undertaking an ethical evaluation of current practice and regulatory positions in comparative relation to debates surrounding genetic testing, pre-implantation genetic testing and gene editing in humans. We argue that genetic testing for hereditary disorders is not only justified but should be encouraged on welfare grounds and that genetic testing for performance traits is ethically permissible based on a restricted imperative to genetically edit horses and horse embryos to reduce genetic predisposition to disease and injury. Given the current state of the science, where the effects of gene editing on health and welfare are currently undetermined, space is created for an analytical distinction between equine gene editing for ‘treatment’ and for ‘enhancement’. Gene editing is only justified for purposes of correcting/preventing disease and injury. Current regulation is challenged by apparently conflicting welfare-based ethical imperatives with respect to welfare-based gene editing. We propose modifications to the blanket bans on gene editing with a case-by-case assessment of applications to permit gene editing, based on best welfare interests underwritten by the aim of facilitating fair sport that adapt WADAs International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions, adding an important reporting element. We reject the use of gene editing to obtain currently prohibited competitive advantages. In order to safeguard the welfare of human and equine athletes, we argue that regulatory institutions should urgently collaborate to develop cross-sport international regulations for the use of gene editing, including obligatory reporting of data about the health and welfare of genetically edited horses.

摘要

在对与人类基因测试，植入前基因测试和基因编辑有关的辩论进行比较关系之前，对当前的实践和监管立场进行伦理评估，然后本文就对马基因技术的当前可用性和选择使用进行了严格的审查。我们认为，遗传性疾病的基因检测不仅是合理的，而且应该出于福利考虑而受到鼓励；基于对遗传特征进行基因编辑的马和马胚胎的限制，以减少对疾病和伤害的遗传易感性，对行为特征进行基因检测在伦理上是允许的。鉴于目前的科学状况，目前尚不确定基因编辑对健康和福利的影响，在“治疗”和“增强”的马基因编辑之间建立了分析区别的空间。基因编辑仅出于纠正/预防疾病和伤害的目的而合理。当前的法规受到与基于福利的基因编辑有关的基于福利的伦理要求的明显挑战。我们建议对基因编辑的全面禁令进行修改，并根据最佳福利利益，以促进公平体育的目的为基础，对允许基因编辑的申请进行逐案评估，以适应WADAs国际《治疗使用豁免》标准，并增加重要的报告要素。我们拒绝使用基因编辑来获得当前禁止的竞争优势。为了维护人类和马匹运动员的福利，