Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42428266›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in medicine2026

Public acceptance of genome editing in Saudi Arabia is driven by therapeutic benefit despite limited awareness.

Hala Aldahshan, Tourkiah Alessa, Tahani O Alkahtani, Abeer Al-Hubaysh, Hamood AlSudais, Sana Saeed Alqarni, Nahla Bakhamis

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Hala AldahshanDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Tourkiah AlessaDepartment of Biomedical Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Tahani O AlkahtaniDepartment of Radiological Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Abeer Al-HubayshDepartment of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Hamood AlSudaisDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Sana Saeed AlqarniDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Nahla BakhamisDepartment of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Genome editing technologies are transforming precision medicine and rare disease therapeutics; however, their responsible clinical integration depends on public awareness, ethical acceptance, and trust in regulatory oversight. Evidence from culturally diverse populations remains limited, particularly in regions undergoing rapid investment in genomic medicine. A large nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured, self-administered electronic questionnaire distributed to adults aged 18 years and older. The instrument assessed demographic characteristics, awareness of genome editing, perceived benefits and risks, ethical concerns, and acceptance of genome editing applications. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and regression analyses were performed to examine factors associated with acceptance. A total of 1,712 participants completed the survey. Fewer than half of respondents reported prior awareness of genome editing, indicating limited baseline familiarity. Support for therapeutic applications was high, particularly when interventions were framed as treatments for serious or life-threatening conditions. Favourable attitudes and perceived clinical benefit were strongly associated with acceptance, while perceived risk demonstrated a modest negative association. Greater awareness was associated with increased ethical caution. Trust in national regulatory frameworks significantly strengthened confidence in gene therapy applications. These findings indicate a relatively supportive public perspective toward therapeutic genome editing in Saudi Arabia, particularly when its use is framed within appropriate ethical and regulatory boundaries. By providing population level evidence from an underrepresented region undergoing rapid genomic development, this study offers insights that may inform culturally responsive policy, public engagement, and responsible clinical translation of genome editing technologies.

Indexed as

bioethicsCRISPR technologiesethical acceptancegenome editinghuman genomicspublic awareness

Identifiers

PMID42428266
PMCPMC13345835

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.