Human genome editing in the EU

This one-day workshop is being jointly organised by the Federation of European Academies of Medicine (FEAM), the UK Academy of Medical Sciences and the French Academy of Medicine; with kind support from the InterAcademy Partnership for Health and the French Academy Foundation. It will be held at the French Academy of Medicine in Paris.

The workshop will involve high-level representatives from academia, research, funding agencies, industry, regulators and the wider European authorities. The workshop will provide an opportunity to facilitate international discussions and explore the landscape for human genome editing across the EU.

The objectives of the meeting are to:

• Understand current scientific activities in the EU with respect to genome editing – focussing on human applications.
• Understand the current regulatory landscape for human genome editing research and clinical applications across the EU.
• Understand the ongoing debate on genome editing across the EU.
• Identify any areas where there are significant differences, e.g. between countries, and if possible consider the driving forces for these differences (e.g. ethics, public opinion).
• Discuss the need for a European regulatory framework to govern the safe and acceptable use of human genome editing.

In delivering these objectives, we will also:

• Foster discussion between academic experts to promote best practice, to consider whether common European guidelines might be developed.
• Provide information to the public and stakeholders regarding these new scientific and medical possibilities, and the European landscape.

We plan to publish a report of the workshop, which will provide a means to disseminate its outcomes more widely within the EU and therefore inform further discussions.

Lastly, we are pleased that this workshop is being held the day before the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Medicine’s Committee on Human Gene Editing will hold an information-gathering meeting which will focus on principles underlying human gene editing governance and policy. More information on the meeting agenda, speakers, and webcast availability is available at www.nationalacademies.org/gene-editing/consensus-study

For more information on our other activities regarding genome editing, please visit our wider policy page.

A workshop agenda is available to download at the bottom of this page. There are a limited number of spaces at this event and registration is essential. If you would like to attend, please email Rachel.Brown@acmedsci.ac.uk.