The following is a summary of “Acceptance of genetic editing and of whole genome sequencing of human embryos by patients with infertility before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” published in the July 2023 issue of Reproductive BioMedicine Online by Neuhausser et al.

Has infertility patients’ approval of heritable genome editing (HGE) and whole genome sequencing for preimplantation genetic testing (PGT-WGS) of human embryos changed since the emergence of COVID-19? A written survey was administered between April and June 2018 and July and December 2021 to patients of an infertility clinic affiliated with a university. The questionnaire assessed the acceptability of HGE for specific therapeutic or genetic “enhancement” indications, as well as PGT-WGS for adult disease prevention. 

The questionnaire was completed by 172 patients in 2021 and 469 patients in 2018 (90% and 91% response rates, respectively). In 2021, more participants expressed a favorable opinion of HGE for therapeutic and aesthetic purposes. In 2021, respondents were more likely to utilize HGE to have healthy children with their gametes (85% vs. 77%), to reduce disease risk for adult-onset polygenic disorders (78% vs. 67%), to increase life expectancy (55% vs. 40%), intelligence (34% vs. 26%), and creativity (34% vs. 24%). About 15% of the 2021 cohort reported a more positive attitude toward HGE due to COVID-19, while less than 1% reported a more negative attitude. In contrast, support for PGT-WGS remained unchanged between 2021 and 2018. 

After the emergence of COVID-19, a significantly increased acceptance of HGE was observed, but not PGT-WGS. Although the pandemic may have contributed to this change, the precise causes remain undetermined and require additional investigation. Further research is needed to determine whether the increased acceptability of HGE may indicate an increase in the general acceptability of emergent biomedical technologies.

Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1472648323001694