More EU rules needed on editing human genome, study finds

Rules should provide greater clarity around the balance of benefits and harms, researchers say

EU rules around human-genome editing are not sufficient to cover the range of ethical issues raised by advances in technologies and their applications, according to a new study.

“While genome editing is the source of great expectations for the medical field, several ethical, social and legal questions remain to be addressed,” the study for the European Parliament Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (Stoa) reported on 3 June.