Societal & Ethical Concerns or GE3LS?
A critical element of responsible genomics
research is to provide a forum through which
accompanying environmental, ethical, economic,
legal and social issues can be explored.
The societal and ethical issues related to
genomics research are termed GE³LS in the
genomics community in Canada. GE³LS
stands for Genomics, Ethics, Economics, Environment,
Legal and Social. At Genome BC, we call these
issues the societal and ethical considerations
of genomics research.
What is Genome BC Doing About Societal & Ethical Issues?
Genomics research and the products that might
be derived from such research impact society
and trigger challenging ethical questions.
It is important that we anticipate, consider,
and debate these concerns. Two recent developments
have allowed Genome BC to take a lead role
in this regard and reflect the growing importance
of societal and ethical concerns related to
genomics research in Canada and worldwide.
First, Genome Canada announced that it required
all new genomics research projects funded
though Genome Canada would have to contain
a specific research project that considered
potential societal and/or ethical issues.
BC houses nine of these genomics research
projects that will run for four years from
January 2006. Each project contains
a smaller research project on the societal
and/or ethical issues of genomics research.
You can read about these projects in our Genomics
& Society Research section.
Second, Genome BC hired a Society & Ethics
Advisor to support the research projects and
promote the consideration of the societal
and ethical issues in BC, nationally, and
internationally.
What
is the Role of the Society & Ethics
Advisor: Genomics, Society and Ethics?
The role of the advisor is to build on Genome
BC's leadership in social science and humanities
(SSH) research in genomics in a number of
ways:
- Investigating
and advising on the ethical, environmental,
economic, legal and social issues and
research associated with genomics science
projects;
- Strengthening
and promoting genomics-related SSH research
in BC;
- Building
dialogue and collaboration among scientists,
social scientists, humanists, and stakeholders
in addressing the social impacts of genomics;
- Promoting
the uptake of knowledge from the social
science and humanities in the funding
of genomics research.
Who
is the Society & Ethics Advisor?
Robin
Downey is the current Advisor while Sarah
Hartley is on maternity leave. Robin
can be reached at rdowney@genomebc.ca.
Daisy Laforce is the Genomics and Society
Intern and can be reached at dlaforce@genomebc.ca.
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