The following Chinese regulation describes the circumstances under which ethics reviews of scientific research must be conducted, and how the review process works. Under this regulation, every organization that undertakes potentially ethically problematic scientific research must establish an ethics review committee. The regulation lists human germ cell genetic engineering, invasive brain-computer interfaces, AI models that can manipulate public opinion, and highly autonomous decision-making systems that could endanger human life among the research topics that require ethics reviews.

An archived version of the Chinese source text is available online at:    https://perma.cc/8JZ9-DAQV

(Trial) Measures for Science and Technology Ethics Reviews¹

Chapter 1      General Provisions

Article 1          These Measures have been formulated in accordance with the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Progress of Science and Technology,² the Opinions on Strengthening the Governance of Science and Technology Ethics,³ and other laws and regulations and relevant provisions, in order to regulate scientific and technological (S&T) ethics reviews in scientific research, technology development, and other S&T activities, strengthen the prevention and control of S&T ethical risks, and promote responsible innovation.

Article 2     The following S&T activities shall be subject to S&T ethics reviews in accordance with these Measures:

(1) S&T activities involving human research participants, including testing, surveys, observational studies, etc., with humans as research subjects, as well as scientific activities that use human biological samples, personal information or data, etc.;

(2) S&T activities involving laboratory animals;

(3) S&T activities that do not directly involve human beings or laboratory animals but may pose ethical risks and challenges in terms of life and health, the ecological environment, public order, sustainable development, etc.;

(4) Other S&T activities that require S&T ethics review in accordance with laws, administrative regulations, and relevant national provisions.

Article 3    Those carrying out S&T activities shall adhere to the unity of advancing innovation and preventing risks, objectively assess and treat with caution uncertainties and S&T application risks, abide by the S&T ethics principles of promoting human wellbeing, respecting the right to life, upholding fairness and justice, reasonably controlling risks, and maintaining openness and transparency, and shall comply with China’s Constitution, laws, regulations, relevant provisions, and S&T ethics norms.

S&T ethics reviews shall adhere to the principles of scientific basis, independence, impartiality, and transparency, make public the review system and procedures, objectively and prudently assess the ethical risks of S&T activities, be conducted in accordance with regulations, and consciously accept supervision by relevant parties. For matters involving national security, state secrets, trade secrets, and sensitive issues, related work shall be done properly and in accordance with laws and regulations.

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1. Translator’s note: CSET translated an earlier draft of these (Trial) Measures, published by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) in April 2023. CSET’s English translation of the draft (Trial) Measures is available online at: https://cset.georgetown.edu/publication/china-trial-science-ethics-review-measures-draft/.
2. Translator’s note: CSET’s English translation of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Progress of Science and Technology is available online at: https://cset.georgetown.edu/publication/law-of-the-peoples-republic-of-china-on-progress-of-science-and-technology/.
3. Translator’s note: CSET’s English translation of the Opinions on Strengthening the Governance of Science and Technology Ethics is available online at: https://cset.georgetown.edu/publication/china-science-ethics-opinions/.