Global governance of human germline genome editing: An advocacy coalition framework analysis

Abstract

This article examines the global governance of human germline genome editing (HGGE) using the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF). Based on reports and documents from international organisations, professional groups, and national governments (2015–2025), the study identifies three advocacy coalitions, precautionary, scientific innovation, and moderate, that shape the international regulatory landscape. The findings show that the precautionary coalition, using the 2018 ‘He Jiankui incident’ as an internal shock, has strengthened its position, leading to widespread restrictive national legislation on clinical HGGE. However, the lack of a unified international framework has caused regulatory fragmentation and ongoing tensions among safety, ethics, and innovation. The article concludes that coalition dynamics remain fluid, and future governance will likely change in response to technological advances and further policy shocks. This research improves understanding of coalition-level interactions in the global governance of emerging biotechnologies.