Ethics of prenatal therapies

Ethics of prenatal therapies

Overview: Ethical considerations are an important part of developing prenatal therapies and are embedded in all our research. We have investigated ethical issues in relation to prenatal gene and cell therapy for genetic and obstetric conditions with stakeholders and potential patients.

Maternal gene therapy:

We considered the ethics of placental gene therapy here.

A recent review suggests that there is no objection of ethical, legal or regulatory principles to the maternal gene therapy intervention under development in the EVERREST programme.

Fetal surgery:

We are reviewing the ethical, legal and regulatory principles relating to novel fetal surgery.

Collaborations: Professor Richard Ashcroft (Queen Mary University of London); Professor Jan Deprest (UCL); Dr Kevin Cao, Alice Booth

Funding: European Commission, Wellcome Trust, EPSRC