World Health Org Panel Calls for Registry of All Human Gene-Editing Research

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It would be irresponsible for any scientist to conduct human gene-editing studies in people, and a central registry of research plans should be set up to ensure transparency, World Health Organization experts said Tuesday.

After its first two-day meeting in Geneva, the WHO panel of gene-editing experts — which was established in December after a Chinese scientist said he had edited the genes of twin babies — said it had agreed on a framework for setting future standards.

It said a central registry of all human genome-editing research was needed "in order to create an open and transparent database of ongoing work," and asked the WHO to start setting up such a registry immediately.

"The committee will develop essential tools and guidance for all those working on this new technology to ensure maximum benefit and minimal risk to human health," Soumya Swamanathan, the WHO's chief scientist, said in a statement.