For the first time, an international team of experts, among them a researcher from Tel Aviv University, formulated a globally-applicable ethical code for research of ancient human DNA. The authors explain that the significant increase throughout the last decade in research of ancient DNA extracted from human remains, and its effects on archeology and other fields, created a need to formulate a dedicated ethical standard that will guide researchers in their work.
Sixty-four international researchers from different fields – archeology, anthropology, curatorship, archeo-genetics and paleo-genetics – from 31 different countries took part in the formulation of the ethical code. Among the team was TAU anthropologist and paleo-geneticist Dr. Viviane Slon from the Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Dan David Center for Human Evolution and Biohistory Research. The ethical code was recently published in the prestigious journal Nature.
Dr. Slon, who is also a member of Tel Aviv University’s Shmunis Family Anthropology Institute, explains that ancient DNA research has unique aspects, which raise the need for ethical regulations – first, the examination of past ancestry can have social and political implications today, and second, since ancient DNA research deals with people who once lived, it should therefore respect them. Most of the sources regarding ancient DNA ethics were written, up until now, based on studies affecting Native American communities, guidelines that are not necessarily applicable to research outside of the Americas. Several researchers have proposed that decisions about forthcoming ancient DNA research be determined consulting representatives of indigenous communities, and that community leaders should pre-approve any research before it begins. According to Dr. Slon, such approaches may create complex research dilemmas, as not all historical populations have current descendants, and even if they do, not every current community feels a strong link or connection with past populations.
The newly-written ethical codes aim to provide global relevance to a variety of contexts. They propose that investigators follow all regulations applicable at the research location. Additionally, they encourage minimal damage to the human remains during research processes. Moreover, the new standards call for cooperation with stakeholders, including any descendants or local communities as well as fellow researchers in other fields – and to respect their point of view.
Dr. Slon says: “The guidelines proposed here encompass all the different stages of research, from planning, through sampling and sharing of data and results, to communicating with our fellow researchers and with the general public. It is an international project born out of a virtual meeting that took place about a year ago, in which there was a wide consensus regarding the need for ethical regulations in this growing field, and here we have the final product. We hope to increase its impact, and we are working to translate the paper into dozens of languages, including Hebrew”.
Dr. Slon adds: “Recently, researchers from the Shmunis Family Anthropology Institute and the Dan David Center for Human Evolution and Biohistory Research led the breakthrough research discovering ancient human remains in the vicinity of the Nesher Ramla factory. Due to the foundational principals laid for the expansion of the interdisciplinary cooperation in the world of ancient DNA research, we will now be able to maximize the scientific accomplishments in this field, in Israel and throughout the world”.