ASGCT and JSGT Joint Position Statement on Human Genomic Editing.

1Department of Pediatrics, Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA; 2Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA; 3Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA; 4Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA; 5University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; 6Division of Gene Therapy, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan; President, JSGT; 7Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA; President, ASGCT Correspondence: Michel Sadelain, Center for Cell Engineering, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Box 182, Room S1021, 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA. E-mail: [email protected] T American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy (ASGCT) and the Japan Society of Gene Therapy (JSGT) (collectively, “Our Societies”) recognize the great scientific advancement represented by the techniques of genome editing and their vast potential value for an improved understanding and possible treatment of human disease. These techniques provide uniquely powerful tools for generating models of human disease, for characterizing the molecular and biochemical basis for pathogenesis, and for suggesting approaches to definitive correction of genetic defects underlying much of human disease. However, our Societies also recognize that the application of genome editing under some circumstances poses very serious ethical problems for which there is no scientific or general societal consensus and that should be considered as inappropriate human genetic manipulation until and unless serious scientific and ethical concerns can be resolved.