Ph.D. student Tatsuki Aikyo and Professor Kato’s article was published.
Ph.D. student Tatsuki Aikyo (currently a fifth-year student at Hiroshima University School of Medicine and a co-researcher in our laboratory), Professor Kazuto Kato, and Assistant Professor Atsushi Kogetsu analyzed the discourse on the governance of human genome editing research from the Japanese Expert Panel on Bioethics and identified the roles played during this process by the research community, government, and the general public.
Genome editing is a technology that can precisely and efficiently modify the genome of an organism. Human genome editing has the potential for medical research and clinical applications, but it also entails technical risks and ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI). Therefore, the question of how genome editing should be used has been actively debated. In particular, the research community has taken a strong interest in this issue and has established an international forum for discussion. Also important are the potential for non-researchers to play an active role in the genome editing debate and the role of government agencies in regulating research. However, there has been no study that comprehensively examines and descriptively clarifies the involvement of these various positions (stakeholders) in genome editing governance.
In this study, we focused on the Expert Panel on Bioethics established within the Cabinet Office of Japan and analyzed the discussions on the governance of human genome editing research (particularly the research ethics review system) and the involvement of each stakeholder during the process. The results revealed that governance of emerging medical technologies can involve a variety of stakeholders, including experts, citizens, and patients, and that the general public is involved in multiple ways that differ from experts. Results suggested that considering the role of the general public is important in establishing governance that involves diverse stakeholders.
Title：“Stakeholder Involvement in the Governance of Human Genome Editing in Japan”
Published journal: Asian Bioethics Review
Authors： Tatsuki Aikyo, Atsushi Kogetsu, Kazuto Kato
Published date: 26 Apr 2023
