Despite the innovations already in place, and with a tsunami of discoveries coming every month, gene editing represents an immense public policy challenge. With new technologies come ideological opponents to innovation. Environmental groups suspicious of technology, court cases and regulations passed over the objections of the science community, particularly in Europe, are already maneuvering to stifle innovation. Our job as advocates for choice and science will continue to be making the case for the Innovation Principle—allowing scientists and scientific agencies to make determinations of efficacy and safety, and not being at the mercy of the theatre of our broken political process.

This index illustrates the existing differences in regulation for gene editing in plants, animals and humans and the frameworks for gene drives. The index was created to help journalists, regulators, and policy-makers understand how their actions can help or stifle innovation.