China issues detailed rules on human genetic resources

BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Science and Technology has issued detailed rules for implementing the country's regulations on human genetic resources.

The ministry said it drafted these rules after taking advice from administrative departments, related research institutes, enterprises, scholars, and the public.

The ministry said the detailed rules are based on China's biosecurity law, administrative licensing law, administrative punishment law, and the law on the progress of science and technology and provide refined guidelines to implement regulations on human genetic resources.

The ministry said that the rules aim at managing human genetic resources in a scientific, rigorous, and efficient way and clarify the responsibilities of the central and local governments to build an integrated supervision and management mechanism.

The rules are also expected to streamline administration, delegate power, improve regulation, and upgrade services to safeguard national biosecurity.

The rules will come into force on July 1, 2023.

The State Council published the regulation on the management of human genetic resources in June 2019. It aims to enhance the protection of human genetic resources, promote their proper use and tighten regulation and supervision.