The WHO Expert Advisory Committee on Developing Global Standards for Governance and Oversight of Human Genome Editing (the Committee) was set up by the Director General of the WHO in December 2018 to examine the scientific, ethical, social and legal challenges associated with human genome editing (both somatic and germ cell). As well as evidence gathering, the panel was asked to review the current literature on the state of the research and its applications, and societal attitudes towards the different uses of this technology. Following this, WHO will receive advice from the Committee on appropriate oversight and governance mechanisms, at the international, regional, national and local levels.
In order to fulfil this remit, the Committee is in the process of developing a governance framework. In an effort to understand and include a wider set of views, the Committee has provided a draft of its governance framework for public comment. The Committee are interested in views on the approach they have taken to the governance framework, its content, as well as insights on good governance of human genome editing.