Public Invited to Become Members of Citizens’ Jury to
Deliver Verdict on Future of Genomics in Ireland
Would be interested in participating in a Citizens’ Jury to hear the arguments for and against genomics and to deliver a verdict on the topic?
IPPOSI – the Irish Platform for Patient Organisations, Science, and Industry – has launched a campaign to identify and recruit 25 members of the public, broadly representative of the Irish population, willing to step up as members of a Citizens’ Jury to deliberate on the ‘tricky’ topic of Genomics.
Thanks to important breakthroughs in science and technology, as humans, we are learning more and more about our human genome (the complete set of DNA that makes up our body). At an individual level, access to this genomic information can be used to understand diseases and improve our personal health. At a societal level, collecting this genomic information can guide improvements in public health. But this information belongs to people, and those people should have a say in how genomic information should be used in Ireland for health care and health research.
In June 2022, the 25 members of the jury will meet for several hours, across a series of online and in-person sessions, chaired by an independent facilitator. In these sessions, jurors will have the opportunity to hear testimony and cross-examine witnesses who are experts in the field of genomics, medical care, ethics, and law.
The jury will examine how genomic information can improve our health as individuals and as a society. It will also probe to what extent we should support the increased use of genomics in our health care and health research, the challenges and opportunities that arise from doing so, and the safeguards that need to be put in place to maximise progress while containing the risks.
Jury Details:
- Applications open: Monday 28th February 2022
- Applications close: 9 pm on Wednesday, March 23rd 2022.
- Applicants must be 18 years of age and living in the Republic of Ireland
- Jurors will receive €400 for their participation in the entire process
- The jury will take place over several weeks in June 2022 using a hybrid event approach
- The jury is overseen by an independent Citizens’ Jury Oversight Panel which comprises genomics, legal, ethics experts, as well as public and patient organisation representatives
- See full details here https://bit.ly/GenomicsCitizensJury