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Ecuador: Animals
Human / Health
Gene Drives
Agriculture
Click on a country (eg. Brazil, US) or region (eg. European Union) below to find which human / health products and processes are approved or in development and their regulatory status.
European Union
Brazil
New Zealand
United States
Australia
Canada
China
United Kingdom
Israel
Argentina
Japan
Mexico
Russia
Chile
Uruguay
Paraguay
India
Africa
Ukraine
Southeast Asia
Central America
Colombia
Norway
Ecuador
Africa
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Canada
Central America
Chile
China
Colombia
Ecuador
European Union
India
Israel
Japan
Mexico
New Zealand
Norway
Paraguay
Russia
Southeast Asia
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Human / Health Gene Editing Index
Compare Regulatory Restrictions Country-to-Country
Gene editing regulations worldwide are evolving. The Gene Editing Index ratings below represent the current status of gene editing regulations and will be updated as new regulations are passed.
Colors and ratings guide
Regulation Status | Rating |
---|---|
Determined: No Unique Regulations* | 10 |
Lightly Regulated | 8 |
Proposed: No Unique Regulations† | 6 |
Ongoing Research, Regulations In Development | 5 |
Highly Regulated | 4 |
Mostly Prohibited | 2 |
Limited Research, No Clear Regulations | 1 |
Prohibited | 0 |
Lightly Regulated: Gene and stem cell therapies regulated with minimal restrictions and requirements.
*Determined: No Unique Regulations: Gene and stem cell therapies regulated as phamaceuticals with no additional restrictions.
†Proposed: No Unique Regulations: Decrees under consideration for gene and stem cell therapies that would not require unique regulations beyond current restrictions on pharmaceuticals.
Therapeutic:
Gene editing of adult human cells, including gene therapy and stem cell therapy, that is used to treat and cure disease. Recent breakthroughs include CAR T-cell therapy, which uses patients’ own immune cells to treat their cancer.
Germline:
Gene editing of the human embryo or germline that results in genetic changes that are passed down to the next generation. This type of gene editing is the most controversial because changes are inherited and because it could theoretically be used to create “designer babies”. A Chinese scientist announced in 2018 that he had successfully edited twins that were brought to term. International backlash from the announcement has resulted in China and other countries working to clarify regulations on germline gene editing.
Rating by Country / Region
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Country / Region | Therapeutic | Germline | Human Rating |
---|---|---|---|
Japan | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Brazil | 4 | 0 | 2 |
Canada | 4 | 0 | 2 |
Russia | 10 | 5 | 7.5 |
Argentina | 5 | 1 | 3 |
Israel | 8 | 2 | 5 |
Australia | 4 | 0 | 2 |
China | 8 | 4 | 6 |
US | 4 | 0 | 2 |
Chile | 4 | 1 | 2.5 |
New Zealand | 4 | 0 | 2 |
Ukraine | 10 | 5 | 7.5 |
Central America | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Paraguay | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Uruguay | 1 | 1 | 1 |
India | 4 | 0 | 2 |
UK | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Mexico | 8 | 0 | 4 |
EU | 4 | 0 | 2 |
Click on a country (eg. Brazil, US) or region (eg. European Union) below to find which gene drive products and processes are approved or in development and their regulatory status.
European Union
European Union
Brazil
Brazil
New Zealand
New Zealand
United States
United States
Australia
Australia
Canada
Canada
China
China
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Israel
Israel
Argentina
Argentina
Japan
Japan
Mexico
Mexico
Russia
Russia
Chile
Chile
Uruguay
Uruguay
Paraguay
Paraguay
India
India
Africa
Africa
Ukraine
Ukraine
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Central America
Central America
Colombia
Colombia
Norway
Norway
Ecuador
Ecuador
Africa
Africa
Argentina
Argentina
Australia
Australia
Brazil
Brazil
Canada
Canada
Central America
Central America
Chile
Chile
China
China
Colombia
Colombia
Ecuador
Ecuador
European Union
European Union
India
India
Israel
Israel
Japan
Japan
Mexico
Mexico
New Zealand
New Zealand
Norway
Norway
Paraguay
Paraguay
Russia
Russia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Ukraine
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
United States
United States
Uruguay
Uruguay
Gene Drive Index
Compare Regulatory Restrictions Country-to-Country
Gene editing regulations worldwide are evolving. The Gene Editing Index ratings below represent the current status of gene editing regulations and will be updated as new regulations are passed.
Colors and ratings guide
Regulation Status | Rating |
---|---|
Determined: No Unique Regulations* | 10 |
Lightly Regulated | 8 |
Proposed: No Unique Regulations† | 6 |
Ongoing Research, Regulations In Development | 5 |
Highly Regulated | 4 |
Mostly Prohibited | 2 |
Limited Research, No Clear Regulations | 1 |
Prohibited | 0 |
Lightly Regulated: Gene drives regulated through existing biotechnology laws.
*Determined: No Unique Regulations: Gene and stem cell therapies regulated as phamaceuticals with no additional restrictions.
†Proposed: No Unique Regulations: Decrees under consideration for gene and stem cell therapies that would not require unique regulations beyond current restrictions on pharmaceuticals.
Gene Drives:
Genetic engineering technology used to transmit a characteristic throughout a wild population. For example, it can be used to develop mosquitoes that only have female offspring. If released into the wild, these mosquitoes would breed with wild malaria-carrying mosquitoes and over time would eliminate the population. Scientists are interested in using this technology to help eradicate disease-carrying insects and control invasive species, but questions about how gene drives will be directed and controlled are still being fleshed out.
Rating by Country / Region
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Country / Region | Gene Drives | Gene Drive Rating |
---|---|---|
Japan | 1 | 1 |
Brazil | 8 | 8 |
Canada | 8 | 8 |
Russia | 1 | 1 |
Argentina | 1 | 1 |
Israel | 1 | 1 |
Australia | 4 | 4 |
China | 1 | 1 |
US | 4 | 4 |
Chile | 1 | 1 |
New Zealand | 4 | 4 |
Ukraine | 1 | 1 |
Central America | 1 | 1 |
Paraguay | 1 | 1 |
Uruguay | 1 | 1 |
India | 1 | 1 |
UK | 2 | 2 |
Mexico | 1 | 1 |
EU | 2 | 2 |
Click on a country (eg. Brazil, US) or region (eg. European Union) below to find which agriculture products and processes are approved or in development and their regulatory status. The regulations on genetically engineered crops and animals are emerging out of the regulatory landscape developed for transgenic GMOs.
European Union
Brazil
New Zealand
United States
Australia
Canada
China
United Kingdom
Israel
Argentina
Japan
Mexico
Russia
Chile
Uruguay
Paraguay
India
Africa
Ukraine
Southeast Asia
Central America
Colombia
Norway
Ecuador
Africa
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Canada
Central America
Chile
China
Colombia
Ecuador
European Union
India
Israel
Japan
Mexico
New Zealand
Norway
Paraguay
Russia
Southeast Asia
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Agriculture Gene Editing Index
Compare Regulatory Restrictions Country-to-Country
Gene editing regulations worldwide are evolving. The Gene Editing Index ratings below represent the current status of gene editing regulations and will be updated as new regulations are passed.
Colors and ratings guide
Regulation Status | Rating |
---|---|
Determined: No Unique Regulations* | 10 |
Lightly Regulated | 8 |
Proposed: No Unique Regulations† | 6 |
Ongoing Research, Regulations In Development | 5 |
Highly Regulated | 4 |
Mostly Prohibited | 2 |
Limited Research, No Clear Regulations | 1 |
Prohibited | 0 |
Lightly Regulated: Some or all types of gene editing are regulated more strictly than conventional agriculture, but not as strictly as transgenic GMOs.
*Determined: No Unique Regulations: Gene-edited crops that do not incorporate DNA from another species are regulated as conventional plants with no additional restrictions.
†Proposed: No Unique Regulations: Decrees under consideration for gene-edited crops that do not incorporate DNA from another species would no require unique regulations beyond current what is imposed on conventional breeding.
Crops/Food:
Gene editing of plants and food products. Research and development has mostly focused on disease resistance, drought resistance, and increasing yield, but more recent advances have produced low trans-fat oils and high-fiber grains.
Animals:
Gene editing of animals, not including animal research for human drugs and therapies. Fewer gene edited animals have been developed than gene edited crops, but scientists have developed hornless and heat-tolerant cattle and fast-growing tilapia may soon be the first gene edited animal to be consumed.
Rating by Country / Region
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Country / Region | Food / Crops | Animals | Ag Rating |
---|---|---|---|
Japan | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Brazil | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Canada | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Russia | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Argentina | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Israel | 10 | 5 | 7.5 |
Australia | 8 | 8 | 8 |
China | 5 | 5 | 5 |
US | 10 | 4 | 7 |
Chile | 10 | 1 | 5.5 |
New Zealand | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Ukraine | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Central America | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Paraguay | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Uruguay | 6 | 6 | 6 |
India | 6 | 6 | 6 |
UK | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Mexico | 1 | 1 | 1 |
EU | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Colombia | 10 | 1 | 5.5 |
Global gene editing regulatory landscape
The regulations on genetically engineered crops and animals are emerging out of the regulatory landscape developed for transgenic GMOs. Regulations across 34 countries where transgenic or gene edited crops and animals are commercially allowed (as of 12/19) are guided in part by two factors:
Whether the country has ratified the international agreement that took effect in 2003 that aims to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from biotechnology that may impact biological diversity, also taking into account potential risks to human health. It entered into force for those nations that signed it in 2003. It applies the ‘precautionary approach as contained in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. The US, Canada, Australia and Chile and the Russian Federation have not signed the treaty.
Whether regulations are based on the genetic process used to create the trait (conventional, mutagenesis, transgenesis, gene editing, etc.) or the final product.Transgenic crops and animals (aka GMOs) are product regulated in many countries including the US and Canada, while the EU, India, China and others regulate based on how the product is made. There is almost an equal number of countries with product- and process-based regulations. It’s not clear how much this distinction matters. It’s somewhat true that countries with product-based regulation have more crops approved and the approval process is more streamlined, but there are contradictions. For example, Brazil and Argentina have emerged as GMO super powers using different regulatory concepts, while there is no GMO commercial cultivation in Japan, North Korea, and the Russian Federation, which employ product-based regulations. How this will effect gene editing regulations is also unclear. For example, Japan, which has no commercialized GMOs, is emerging as a leader in the introduction of gene edited crops.