Majority supports gene editing for treatment, prevention

The majority of people support legalizing clinical gene editing for treating or preventing several genetic diseases and oppose such a move for nontherapeutic purposes, according to a recent poll cross the country.

About 68 percent of the respondents accept the legalization of gene editing for reducing the genetic risk of thalassemia, with the ratio even higher for HIV prevention, reducing the risk of dementia, modifying gene mutations causing cancer, extending life spans and treating congenital heart disease.

Only 36 percent of those polled support legalizing genetic editing for preventing high cholesterol and less than a quarter for use in military applications, improving exercise capacity or changing skin color, said Chen Liang, principal investigator and an associate professor of the School of Communication and Design at Sun Yat-sen University.

The poll was conducted among 4,196 respondents to an electronic questionnaire between June and August by the Key Laboratory of Public Opinion in Big Data Analysis and Simulation of Guangdong Province at Sun Yat-Sen University.

About 68 percent of the respondents support the research and development of genetic editing technology. About 48 percent hold that the application of such technology should be determined by the government and 40 percent choose scientists for the purpose.

The survey revealed an overall low level of knowledge regarding gene editing.

In a parallel survey carried out by the lab among 575 people who are HIV-positive in September, a higher proportion of the respondents indicated support for the research and development of genetic editing technology than in the survey among the general public.

The respondents in this group exhibited similar preferences in the legalization of genetic editing for therapeutic and nontherapeutic uses, with a much higher portion, or 95 percent, backing applications for HIV prevention.

"This research is an initial comparative investigation of the Chinese general public and people living with HIV on gene editing, which provides an important basis for the rational and healthy development of gene editing technology in China," said Zhang Zhi'an, project director and dean of School of Communication and Design at Sun Yat-Sen University.

The survey among HIV-positive people makes the project the first comparative public opinion poll on clinical gene editing in China.