Ethics and Policy

Innogen was established to ensure that social science perspectives could shape the development of innovation in the life sciences. It focuses on the governance of emerging technologies, particularly the roles of regulatory systems and stakeholder views. As part of the ESRC Genomics Network, Innogen’s research supports informed decision-making across science, industry, policy, and public domains.

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The Nuffield Council on Bioethics briefing for the Westminster Hall debate on gene editing (22 July 2025) outlines key ethical and policy considerations following the Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Act 2023. It emphasises the importance of public engagement, animal welfare, and governance, drawing on insights from the Council’s 2021 report and public dialogue (below). While the Act reflects many of these principles, the briefing highlights that secondary legislation for gene editing in farmed animals is still pending and urges clarity on its implementation.

2021 Report - Genome editing and farmed animal breeding: social and ethical issues

A public dialogue on genome editing in farmed animals was held to explore public views on the technology's potential role in the UK's food and farming system (2022). The dialogue involved 80 members of the public and focused on understanding their perspectives on the benefits and concerns surrounding genome editing in farmed animals. The dialogue was commissioned by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), with support from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)'s Sciencewise programme. 

See the full report here