The State Council has recently distributed the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Management of Human Genetic Resources (the "Regulations") which will enter into force from July 1, 2019.
Having regard to the experience gained from the implementation of the Interim Measures for Management of Human Genetic Resources, the Regulations set out provisions on management of China's human genetic resources from perspectives of ramping up protection, promoting proper utilization, intensifying regulation and optimizing supervision of services. Further, the Regulations expressly state that China carries out surveys of human genetic resources and operates the notification and registration system over important genetic pedigrees and human genetic resources in certain regions. Where foreign organizations, as well as institutions established or actually controlled by foreign organizations and individuals, need to utilize China's human genetic resources to carry out scientific research activities, they must seek cooperation with Chinese entities for this purpose. Meanwhile, the Regulations provide that administrative departments of science and technology shall optimize and improve their services to enable applicants to handle matters in relation to examination and approval and record-filing conveniently on the internet, and step up supervision and inspection of various activities related to human genetic resources, such as collecting, preserving, utilizing and providing foreign parties with human genetic resources.