Press Releases

Last year, the birth of the first genetically modified babies shook the world. The German Ethics Council now presents a comprehensive ethical investigation into possible interventions in the genome of human embryos or germ cells. The Council does not deem the human germline to be inviolable. It does, however, consider germline interventions to be ethically irresponsible at the present time because of the associated incalculable risks. The Council, therefore, calls for an application moratorium and recommends that the Federal Government and the Bundestag work towards a binding international agreement.

On 28 November 2018, an orientation debate took place in the German Bundestag on whether an opt-out system should be established in future instead of the current opt-in system to improve the desolate situation in organ donation. Decreasing donor numbers and long waiting lists give rise to calls for fundamentally different approaches. But what are the ethical challenges raised by the possible new regulations for patients, relatives, medical staff and future donors? On Wednesday, 12 December, the German Ethics Council discussed the advantages and disadvantages of opt-out organ donation at a public evening event that was attended also by several members of the Bundestag.

Professor Dr. theol. Elisabeth Gräb-Schmidt is a new member of the German Ethics Council.

The birth of two genetically modified girls claimed on Monday, 26 November 2018, by the Chinese researcher Jiankui He by means of germline editing represents a serious violation of ethical obligations according to the view of the German Ethics Council.

Today, on Thursday, the German Ethics Council is publishing its Opinion "Help through coercion? Professional Caring Relations in Conflict Between Welfare and Autonomy".

Professor Dr. phil. Judith Simon is new member of the German Ethics Council.