GENEVA

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday announced its first global recommendations to help establish human genome editing as a tool for public health in fighting disease with an emphasis on safety, effectiveness, and ethics.

"Human genome editing has the potential to advance our ability to treat and cure disease," said Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, as the world health body released two new reports carrying recommendations.

"But the full impact will only be realized if we deploy it for the benefit of all people, instead of fueling more health inequity between and within countries."

WHO said the reports stem from the first broad, global consultation looking at somatic, germline, and heritable human genome editing.

They are a group of technologies that give scientists the ability to change an organism's DNA, which raises ethical, moral, and religious questions.

The world health body notes that risks exist, "for example, with germline and heritable human genome editing, which alter the genome of human embryos and could be passed on to subsequent generations, modifying descendants' traits."

Introducing the reports' recommendations, WHO's chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said: "Human genome editing technologies can be used on somatic cells (non-heritable); germline cells (not for reproduction) and germline cells (for reproduction)."

The scientist said the reports from the WHO's Expert Advisory Committee represent "a leap forward for this area of emerging science."

"Potential benefits of human genome editing include new strategies for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of genetic disorders; new avenues to treat infertility; new ways to promote disease resistance; contribution to vaccine development and enhanced knowledge of human biology," she explained.

Somatic genome editing

Swaminathan cites, for example, the application of somatic human genome editing.

Such editing has already been undertaken, including in vivo editing, to address HIV, sickle-cell disease, and transthyretin amyloidosis, an abnormal protein condition.

Germline human genome editing contributes to deepening the understanding of the role of specific genes and processes in early human development, physiology, and diseases.

"However, there are important areas of ongoing uncertainty as to potential benefits and risks, and gaps in scientific understanding in such key domains as off-target effects and long-term risks," says Swaminathan.

The reports have recommendations on the governance and oversight of human genome editing in nine areas.

They included human genome editing registries; international research and medical travel; illegal, unregistered, unethical, or unsafe research, intellectual property; and education, engagement, and empowerment.

Those consulted represented diverse worldwide perspectives, including scientists and researchers, patient groups, faith leaders, and indigenous peoples.

The recommendations focus on systems-level improvements needed to build capacity in all countries to ensure that human genome editing is used safely, effectively, and ethically.

The reports also provide a new governance framework that identifies specific tools, institutions, and scenarios to illustrate practical challenges in implementing, regulating, and overseeing research into the human genome.