In defence of South Africa’s National Health Research Ethics Council guidelines on heritable human genome editing

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2025.v115i1.2942

Keywords:

heritable human genome editing, reproductive cloning, National Health Research Ethics Council, National Health Act, South Africa

Abstract

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References

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3. Thaldar D, Soni S, Botes M, Prinsen L, Mnyandu N, Kinderlerer J. Comment on: Baylis F, Hasson K. South Africa amended its research guidelines to allow for heritable human genome editing. The Conversation, 25 October 2024. https://theconversation.com/south-africa-amended-its-research-guidelines-to-allow-for- heritable-human-genome-editing-241136 (accessed 7 December 2024).

4. Thaldar D, Townsend B, Botes M, Shozi B, Pillay S. A virtual deliberative public engagement study on heritable genome editing among South Africans: Study protocol. PLoS ONE 2021;16(8):e0256097. https:// doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256097

5. Manipulate. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary (Internet). Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/manipulate (accessed 7 December 2024).

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7. Minister of Health v New Clicks South Africa (Pty) Ltd 2006 (2) SA 311 (CC).

8. Thaldar D, Shozi B, Steytler M, et al. A deliberative public engagement study on heritable human genome

editing among South Africans: Study results. PLoS ONE 2022;17(11):e0275372. https://doi.org/10.1371/

journal.pone.0275372

9. Shozi B, Thaldar D. Promoting equality in the governance of heritable human genome editing through Ubuntu: Reflecting on a South African public engagement study. Am J Bioethics 2023;23(2):1-7. https:// doi.org/10.1080/15265161.2023.2207524

10. World Health Organization. Human Genome Editing. Geneva: WHO, 2024. https://www.who.int/health- topics/human-genome-editing/#tab=tab_1 (accessed 7 December 2024).

11. Shozi B, Kamwendo T, Kinderlerer J. Thaldar DW, Townsend B, Botes M. Future of global regulation of human genome editing: A South African perspective on the WHO Draft Governance Framework on Human Genome Editing. J Med Ethics 2022;48(3):165-168. https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2020-106863

12. ThaldarD,Shozi,B.Animbalancedapproachtogovernance?AnanalysisoftheWHO’spositiononhuman genome editing. Bioethics 2023;37(7):656-661. https://doi.org/10.1111/bioe.13193

13. Kamwendo T. Access to healthcare in the age of CRISPR: An analysis of the right to heritable human genome editing in the context of the tuberculosis epidemic in South Africa. PhD thesis. Durban: University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2022. https://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/handle/10413/21540 (accessed 7 December 2024).

14. Thaldar D, Shozi B, Kamwendo T. Culture and context: Why the global discourse on heritable genome editing should be broadened from the South African perspective. BioLaw J 2021(4):409-416. https://doi. org/10.15168/2284-4503-2052

15. ThaldarD,BotesM,ShoziB,TownsendB,KinderlererJ.Humangermlineediting:Legal-ethicalguidelines for South Africa. S Afr J Sci 2020;116(9/10). https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2020/6760

16. ThaldarD,SteytlerM.TimeforCinderellatogototheball:Reflectionsontherighttofreedomofscientific research. S Afr Law J 2021;138(2):260-288. https://doi.org/10.47348/SALJ/v138/i2a2

17. Thaldar D, Shozi B. Procreative non-maleficence: A South African human rights perspective on heritable human genome editing. CRISPR J 2020;3(1):32-36. https://doi.org/10.1089/crispr.2019.0036

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Published

2025-02-18

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Correspondence

How to Cite

1.
Thaldar D, Soni S, Prinsen L, Mnyandu N, Botes M, Kinderlerer J. In defence of South Africa’s National Health Research Ethics Council guidelines on heritable human genome editing. S Afr Med J [Internet]. 2025 Feb. 18 [cited 2025 Feb. 19];115(1):e2942. Available from: https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/2942

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