Providing a policy framework for responsible gene drive research: an analysis of the existing governance landscape and priority areas for further research

The progress in gene drive research has made the possibility of a future release in the environment probable. This prospect is raising new questions related to the adequacy of the policy frameworks in place to manage and regulate the research and its outcomes responsibly. A number of international mechanisms are exploring how to evaluate this technology. Amongst them, the Convention of Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Protocol, the review mechanisms of the World Health Organisation, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature are offering international fora for dialogue, while regional entities, such as the African Union, are developing specific frameworks to build their preparedness for oversight of gene drive organisms. In this manuscript, we review the existing regulatory landscape around gene drive research and map areas of convergence and divergence, as well as gaps in relation to guidelines for community engagement in gene drive research.