China bans clinical research in germline genome editing as ‘irresponsible’
- New guideline marks China’s latest effort to tighten ethics oversight after He Jiankui shocked the world with first gene-edited babies
Germline gene engineering relates to altering the DNA in sperm, eggs or early embryos to introduce changes that can be inherited.
“Any clinical research involving germline genome editing is irresponsible and not permitted,” according to the Ethical Guideline for Human Genome Editing Research, released earlier this week by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology.
“Only when benefits, risks and alternative options are fully understood and weighed, when issues of safety and efficacy are addressed, broad social consensus is reached and rigorous evaluation is conducted, could clinical research be considered with strict supervision in place,” the guideline adds.
It also strictly prohibits the use of genome editing research on germ cells, fertilised eggs, or human embryos for reproductive purposes.
“The potential detrimental impacts and risks of germline genome editing are still unpredictable,” Zhai Xiaomei, a member of the National Science and Technology Ethics Committee, was quoted as saying by Science and Technology Daily.
