THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICINE
Committee on Human Gene Editing: Scientific, Medical, and Ethical Considerations
Human Genome Editing:
Science, Ethics, and Governance
Genome editing is a powerful new tool for making precise alterations to an organism’s genetic material. Recent scientific advances have made genome editing more efficient, precise, and flexible than ever before. These advances have spurred an explosion of interest from around the globe in the possible ways in which genome editing can improve human health. The speed at which these technologies are being developed and applied has led many policymakers and stakeholders to express concern about whether appropriate systems are in place to govern these technologies and how and when the public should be engaged in these decisions.
Human Genome Editing, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences and Medicine, considers important questions about the human application of genome editing including: balancing potential benefits with unintended risks, governing the use of genome editing, incorporating societal values into clinical applications and policy decisions, and respecting the inevitable differences across nations and cultures that will shape how and whether to use these new technologies. This report proposes criteria for heritable germline editing, provides conclusions on the crucial need for public education and engagement, and presents seven general principles for the governance of human genome editing.
These briefings were for members of Congress and congressional staff only. The report was publicly released on February 14, 2017 and can be found, in its entirety, on the Web site of the National Academies Press.