Which ethical concern involves changes that could be inherited by future generations?

• A. Informed consent
• B. Equitable access
• C. Short-term safety
• D. Potential germline modification

Answer: (D)

Germline modification is about edits made in sperm, eggs, or early embryos that become part of every cell in an organism and can be passed on to future generations. Because these changes can be inherited, they raise ethical questions about consent from people who aren’t yet born, potential long-term and unforeseen effects on future families and the gene pool, and how such technologies could affect society and equity.

Informed consent deals with an individual's right to decide about treatment today, not about future generations. Short-term safety focuses on immediate risks to the person receiving the modification. Equitable access concerns fair distribution of benefits and burdens, not heritability.