He Jiankui’s unprecedented offense and worrying comeback: how the CRISPR-babies scandal reshaped the legal governance of scientific research in China

Abstract

Scientific scandals are catalysts for the evolution process of legal governance. The 2018 CRISPR-babies Incident has essentially triggered China's legal reforms of ethics governance in science and technology. This paper explores the institutional deficiency that led to such a scandal, analyzes its long-term implications for legal governance, and presents China's recent legal progress in response to such an issue. The rapid legislative response to the CRISPR-babies Incident is a double-edged sword, while promoting the improvement of the legal system, it can also cause issues like fragmentation of governance, contradictory rules, and conflict of interest. China should integrate departmental norms and upgrade its level of effectiveness. Strengthening legislation is the implementation path, and improving ethical review, supervision and scientific research integrity systems are the crucial means. In addition, it is necessary to bring the coordinating function of the Central Science and Technology Commission into full play and pay more attention to public engagement and international cooperation.

Keywords

• CRISPR-babies incident
• legal governance
• ethics first
• responsible innovation