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Regulatory Framework for Gene Therapy on Human Embryos in Response to CRISPR-Cas9

  • Journal of the Korea Bioethics Association
  • 2016, 17(1), pp.35-52
  • Publisher : The Korean Bioethics Association
  • Research Area : Interdisciplinary Studies > Interdisciplinary Research

박대웅 1 Ryoo, Hwa-shin 2

1충북대학교 법학전문대학원
2충북대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

The age of gene therapy is down the pike with the arrival of CRISPR-Cas9 enzyme scissors. Gene therapy on embryos can cause positive socio-economical impact in that it can break the cycle of genetic disorder. But there are various social and ethical issues, including using embryo for experiment, technological limitation, limit of knowledge about the function of genes, absent of consent by descendants, and using for genetic enhancement. For this reason, the reproductive use of edited embryos is prohibited in many countries. But scientific research are generally permitted considering the potential effectiveness. A regulatory framework for the age of gene therapy is also being discussed. But Korean law is ambiguous about whether scientific research for gene therapy on human embryo is permitted and there is no regulation for human embryos gene alteration. So scientific research for gene therapy on human embryo need to be permitted within reasonable limits, and human embryos gene alteration for reproductive purposes should be prohibited. And in human embryo gene therapy era, new regulations are necessary including technical and ethical limitation on therapy, multi generational follow-up for safety, access to therapy regardless of their economic power, and the prohibition of compulsory gene therapy.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.