Towards societal alignment in the governance of human germline genome editing in the Netherlands
article
Although international consensus exists among scientists that clinical application of human germline genome editing (HGGE) should not occur in the near future, the Dutch parliament is considering significantly expanding HGGE research options. Because HGGE policy determines medical practice and potentially the lives of future generations, it is crucial that public values are safeguarded in pertinent decisions. This study applies the governance ecosystem model and anticipatory governance to provide (i) insight into the HGGE governance ecosystem in the Netherlands, and (ii) recommendations to improve societal alignment. We identify gaps in foresight and engagement activities, and a suboptimal integration of public values. We propose interdisciplinary co-creation of future scenarios, recurrent mixed-method studies, public engagement in funding requirements and transparent policy evaluation to improve societal alignment in HGGE governance. The paper demonstrates the synergy of the governance ecosystem model and anticipatory governance when developing recommendations for societal alignment. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Topics
TNO Identifier
1023765
Source
Journal of Responsible Innovation, pp. 1-21.
Publisher
Routledge Talylor and Francis Group
Article nr.
2587982
Pages
1-21