Geneticization outside genetics’ birthplace: ethical, legal and social implications in the Gulf Cooperation Council region

Geneticization refers to the growing tendency to explain health, behavior, and identity primarily through genetic terms, often at the expense of social, environmental, and cultural factors. This paper offers a novel contribution to the global discourse on geneticization - a phenomenon extensively examined in Western, predominantly secular contexts, by critically analyzing its ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) within the Muslim-majority societies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. As genetic screening programs such as prenatal, newborn, and premarital screening (PMS) gain traction across the GCC countries, often supported by advanced technologies like whole genome sequencing and whole exome sequencing, they encounter not only globally recognized concerns but also distinct religio-ethical and socio-cultural challenges that necessitate engagement with Islamic moral frameworks. Drawing on a close analysis of interdisciplinary literature, the study identifies key ethical tensions surrounding theological sensitivities, informed consent, individual autonomy, genetic discrimination, stigmatization, eugenics, and the management of incidental findings. The paper further highlights legal inconsistencies in PMS mandates and the evolving regulatory landscape governing genomic research across the region. Social implications including high rates of consanguinity, varying levels of public awareness, and community reception of screening programs underscore the need for culturally responsive approaches that align with local values and norms. By foregrounding these region-specific dynamics, this paper advances a more contextually grounded and ethically attuned understanding of geneticization beyond its Western foundations. In doing so, it offers new perspectives for navigating the ELSI of genomics in the GCC, with broader relevance to the Arab world.