Public opinion survey on heritable human genome editing in South Africa: a study protocol

TL;DR

This paper outlines a study protocol to survey public opinion on heritable human genome editing in South Africa, aiming to inform future research and policy.

Contribution

The study introduces a methodological framework for online public opinion surveys on HHGE in the Global South.

Findings

The study will use Facebook ads to recruit 400 South African participants for a cross-sectional survey.

It will compare survey results with previous deliberative engagement findings on HHGE.

A secondary dataset will be generated to evaluate AI-assisted qualitative analysis.

Abstract

Heritable human genome editing (HHGE) presents new possibilities for the prevention of genetic diseases but also raises ethical and societal questions. While international surveys have explored public attitudes, particularly in high-income countries, there is a lack of large-scale empirical data from the Global South. In South Africa, previous work used deliberative public engagement to examine public perspectives. The present study aims to complement this by capturing public opinion through a cross-sectional survey, enabling direct comparison with deliberative findings. This study will recruit 400 adult participants residing in South Africa using targeted Facebook advertisements. A two-phase sampling process will be employed: initial screening for demographic information, followed by stratified sampling to ensure a representative South African population. The opinion survey consists of 19 HHGE scenarios, each explored through private and public moral lenses. Additionally, participants will indicate their interpretation of ‘safe and effective’ genome editing. Quantitative data will be analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression. Qualitative responses will undergo thematic analysis using both manual coding and generative AI tools under human oversight. The study includes two stages of informed consent and ensures data confidentiality through strict data handling protocols. Results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and policy forums. The study will also generate a secondary dataset for evaluating AI-assisted qualitative analysis, to be conducted under separate ethical clearance.

Added knowledge: As a study design article, its methodological knowledge may guide future research designs on virtual public opinion surveys for heritable human genome editing.Global health impact for policy and action: As a study design article, this does not directly contribute to policy and action except to add methodological knowledge on how to ascertain public opinion via online survey for HHGE. However, the actual study will provide empirical knowledge on public opinion on HHGE applications for health-related matters, which may guide policymakers.

Added knowledge: As a study design article, its methodological knowledge may guide future research designs on virtual public opinion surveys for heritable human genome editing.

Global health impact for policy and action: As a study design article, this does not directly contribute to policy and action except to add methodological knowledge on how to ascertain public opinion via online survey for HHGE. However, the actual study will provide empirical knowledge on public opinion on HHGE applications for health-related matters, which may guide policymakers.