Epigenetics ELSI: Darker Than You Think?

Yann Joly; Derek So; Katie Saulnier; Stephanie O M Dyke

doi:10.1016/j.tig.2016.07.001

Epigenetics ELSI: Darker Than You Think?

Trends Genet. 2016 Oct;32(10):591-592. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2016.07.001. Epub 2016 Jul 22.

Authors

Yann Joly¹, Derek So², Katie Saulnier², Stephanie O M Dyke²

Affiliations

¹ Centre of Genomics and Policy, McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Centre, 740 Avenue du Dr Penfield, Montreal, QC H3A 1A4, Canada. Electronic address: yann.joly@mcgill.ca.
² Centre of Genomics and Policy, McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Centre, 740 Avenue du Dr Penfield, Montreal, QC H3A 1A4, Canada.

PMID: 27460649
DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2016.07.001

Abstract

Emerging ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) scholarship in epigenetics has focused largely on hypothetical issues involving institutional racism, discrimination, and eugenics. To avoid an unwarranted backlash against this promising research field, we encourage a more balanced ELSI discussion conveying the full spectrum of issues faced by stakeholders.

Keywords: ELSI; epigenetics; epigenomics; ethics; eugenics; genetic discrimination; science communication.

Publication types

Letter
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Comment

MeSH terms

Epigenomics / ethics
Epigenomics / trends*
Ethics, Research*
Eugenics / trends*
Humans
Racism / ethics

Grants and funding

CIHR/Canada