A panel of the WHO calls for the creation of a global gene editing registry

New World Health Organization (WHO) Human Genome Publishing Advisory Group Calls for Central Registry for All Human Genome Publishing Studies After Two-Day Meeting which ended on Tuesday in Geneva.

The WHO set up this group in December as a result of reports that Chinese scientist He Jiankui would have modified the genomes of a pair of binoculars to make them resistant to infection by HIV. Jiankui's statements provoked a rapid response at the international level, with Chinese regulators proposing rules to restrict gene editing in humans and experts around the world calling for a moratorium on human lineage editing.

The commission, which is co-chaired by Margaret Hamburg, former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Judge Edwin Cameron of the South African Constitutional Court, also agreed that, for the time being, any clinical application of the Changing the germ line in humans is irresponsible.

Over the next 12 to 18 months, the task force will be tasked with developing a set of global standards for governance and oversight of human genome editing, including both applications for somatic cells and the germ line.

"The committee will develop essential tools and tips for all those working on this new technology to ensure maximum benefit and minimal risk to human health," said Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist of WHO.

At a press conference held at the end of the meeting, Hamburg said the committee felt it was "urgent … to create a registry of genome editing research." so that studies using these technologies can be registered with WHO in a transparent and accessible way. to all interested parties. "

Hamburg said that in the future, a subcommittee will be set up to work with the WHO on how to implement the registry. To promote compliance with the registry, Hamburg said that the WHO would require publishers and research funders to require that studies be registered before publication or receipt. a funding.

"We think it's very important to establish this registry to get a better idea of ​​the research going on around the world," Hamburg said, noting that the committee was still working on the details of the registry.

WHO