Which ethical concern is specifically related to germline modification in gene therapy?

• A. Equity of access
• B. Overall safety risks
• C. Informed consent of current patients
• D. Modifications that can be inherited by future generations

Answer: (D)

Editing in the germline means changes in sperm, eggs, or early embryos, so they are passed on to every future generation. The ethical concern here is that these edits become permanent features of the human lineage, potentially affecting many people who cannot consent to the changes. This raises questions about long-term and unpredictable consequences for individuals, families, and society, as well as who has the right to decide what gets edited and how access to such options is distributed. Safety concerns and consent for current patients matter for any gene therapy, but they don’t carry the same heritable, multi‑generational implications as germline edits.