TOKYO -- Genetic editing in fertilized human eggs can be conducted for basic research purposes but births will be forbidden, the Japanese government said in draft guidelines issued Tuesday, hoping to avoid a repeat of last month's outcry after a Chinese scientist claimed to have produced genetically altered children.
Returning altered zygotes (fertilized eggs) to human or animal wombs and inducing pregnancy and birth would be banned under the rules, endorsed by a bioethics and safety panel under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The rules will restrict research to fields like infertility treatment.
