The roles of ethics in gene drive research and governance

Ethics research queries the norms and values that shape the goals and justification for gene drive projects, and that might lead to issue or opposition to such projects. A framework for organizing ethics research is offered. In addition to basic research ethics and risk assessment, gene drives will give rise to questions about the fiduciary responsibilities of scientists, democratizing technology, and the links between epistemology and social power relations. A final category of ethical issues covers the way in which research on norms and values is organized, funded and integrated into other aspects of a gene drive project.