Forum: The ethical application of Genomics
Topic: Ensuring the ethical application of Genomics
Submitted by: United States of America
Co-Submitters: Sierra Leone, Egypt, Sweden, Denmark, Israel
THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF GENOMICS,
Keeping in mind numerous diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, AIDS,
and Huntington’s disease can all be potentially cured through gene therapy,
Pointing out that gene therapy is a potential solution to one of the UN Millennium Development
Goals (MDG’s), which aim to combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases,
Bearing in mind article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) bans
discrimination of any kind,
Taking into account that issue of ethical application of genomics is a relatively new topic with little
international regulation,
Noting that the price of whole genome sequencing dropped from $100,000 to $1000 in 2014,
allowing more individuals access to the technology,
Realizing that parts of stem cell research may be considered morally unacceptable to individuals
who believe embryos have full human rights,
Taking into account objections that state designer babies will increase the inequality between rich
and poor, as only the rich would be able to afford the treatment,
Declaring human enhancements as any attempt to temporarily or permanently overcome the current
limitations of the human body through natural or artificial means,
Recalling the Nuremberg Code of 1947 on the ethical treatment of clinical test subjects which
protects the rights on those under clinical treatment,
Acknowledging that many individual nations, including the United States of America, have
constructed their own regulatory policies on gene therapy and stem cell research,
Believing that not enough individuals are informed about the possibilities of Gene Therapy,
Deeply concerned that GM food, gene therapy, stem research, and gene patenting laws are different
in nearly every country, greatly hindering international scientific process due to many redundant
permits required,
Convinced that a compromise between consumer safety, moral objections and not hindering
research in this field with nearly unlimited potential is the best possible solution to this issue,
1) Encourages all economically developed nations in association with NGOs to promote domestic
awareness of the potential of gene therapy and stem cell research in ways such as but not limited to:
a) Broadcasting the ethical potential advantages of gene therapy and stem cell research and
its potential moral concerns
b) Creating documentaries about the issue
c) Creating websites on the issue
d) Creating billboards in populated areas of the country
e) Starting academic programs that specialize in gene therapy
f) Introducing the topic to school systems by:
i. Educating teachers so that they understand the topic
ii. Hiring professionals to provide lectures
iii. Creating hands-on projects;
2) Recommends the creation of international law in ways such as but not limited to:
a) Hosting an international summit on the question of gene therapy
b) Exposing member states to the pros and cons of gene therapy
c) Defining the ethical boundaries of gene therapy through:
i. Allowing therapeutic cloning
ii. Not allowing reproductive cloning
iii. Banning discrimination based on genetic information
iv. Allowing parents to check for genetic diseases in their children, but not for
aesthetic purposes
v. Restricting the exploitation of genetic information
d) Allowing insurers and companies to look at data, however, not charge extra or not hire
individuals based on their genetic information
e) Requiring scientists to:
i. Provide the government with a complete, tested, and proven safety plan in case of
any failure or damage during the process
ii. Submit impact assessments following each round of experimentation
iii. Stop all processes must immediately if results demonstrate harmful effects until
a team of international expert mediate the harmful effect
f) Creating a single, universal permit required to conduct gene therapy clinical trials
g) Form a new organization to implement the steps stated above;
3) Calls upon all economically developed countries to provide gene therapies to all people by:
a) Subsidizing gene therapies
b) Creation of information banks on possible stem cell donors
c) Subsidize genetic counseling:
i. Help patients understand the results of the test
ii. Help patients to use the newly gained information effectively;
4) Authorizes the creation of a basic free worldwide insurance system:
a) Creation of a new organization to provide insurance
b) All countries will provide necessary information such as but not limited too:
i. The name, gender, height, occupation, and income of the individual
ii. Previous medical issues and all information currently available to insurance
companies
iii. If the individual records that are less than 5 years old, the organization would
provide a free medical checkup before providing insurance
c) The organization will determine cost and the exact package after examination of all
medical information
d) Economically developed countries should provide support to less economically
developed countries (LEDC’s)
e) Individuals who currently have superior insurance to the worldwide insurance system
will be allowed to keep their current insurance system;
5) Requests the United Nations and all economically developed member nations to increase
funding of possible gene therapies:
a) Creation of new national and international institutes to increase the pace of research:
i. Provide facilities and equipment for researchers
ii. Provide locations for the creation, proliferation, and differentiation of stem cells
iii. Provide at least 10 years of funding for research, for there is little private
funding, as financial returns from research still require years of work
b) Create new cash prizes for companies, research teams or individuals who have
successfully achieved technological breakthroughs to encourage research such as but not limited to:
i. Technological breakthroughs that drastically increase the capability of
differentiation
ii. Technological breakthroughs that greatly increase efficiency of creating new stem
cell lines
iii. Opening up new capabilities with stem cell research;
6) Endorses nations and organizations to conduct long term studies on the effects of GMO’s and
gene therapies in ways such as but not limited to:
a) Require longer examination periods for new and radically different types of GM foods
b) Requiring that no GM food product, which uses proteins not found in nature to be
deregulated
c) Conduct 15-year studies to determine the long-term effects on GM food products
d) Provide data to companies to make their products safer;
7) Proposes the creation of international antitrust law to prevent individual companies controlling
the entire GM food market and thus the world’s food supply:
a) Allow all researchers to access results and data from patented inventions
b) Require that all GM seeds no longer be sterile, and thus no longer forcing farmers to
purchase new seeds every year
c) Provide stricter regulations in the area of antitrust law regarding GM food crops:
i. Creating a maximum price and prohibits companies from patenting GMO crops,
for the prevention of companies increasing profits by driving up the prices
ii. Not allow companies to access farmers’ records and fields and prohibiting
farmers to replant leftover seeds
iii. Prevent companies from purchasing other companies if the result were to be a
monopoly.