Journal article
A Need for Better Understanding Is the Major Determinant for Public Perceptions of Human Gene Editing
Tristan McCaughey, David M Budden, Paul G Sanfilippo, George EC Gooden, Li Fan, Eva Fenwick, Gwyneth Rees, Casimir MacGregor, Lei Si, Christine Chen, Helena Hai Liang, Alice Pebay, Timothy Baldwin, Alex W Hewitt
Human Gene Therapy | Mary Ann Liebert | Published : 2019
DOI: 10.1089/hum.2018.033
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas system could provide an efficient and reliable means of editing the human genome and has the potential to revolutionize modern medicine; however, rapid developments are raising complex ethical issues. There has been significant scientific debate regarding the acceptability of some applications of CRISPR/Cas, with leaders in the field highlighting the need for the lay public's views to shape expert discussion. As such, we sought to determine the factors that influence public opinion on gene editing. We created a 17-item online survey translated into 11 languages and advertised worldwide. Topic modeling was used to analyze textual responses to determine what factors influenced r..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful for the assistance of Eve Boccara, Teresa Carvalho, Qin Chen, Nora Yahia Hakami, Sandy Hung, Qicheng Jiang, Tejal Kulkani, Seema Mandhare, Megan Munsie, Isabel Sanchez, Erdal Tan, Nitin Verma, Anu Verma, and Seyhan Yazar. This work was supported by Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Fellowships (P.G.S., A.W.H.), Australian Research Council Future Fellowships (T.B., A.P.), the BrightFocus Foundation, Retina Australia, the Ophthalmic Research Institute of Australia, and Operational Infrastructure Support from the government of Victoria, Australia.