遗传资源数字序列信息议题的发展动态和中国选择

The Development Status and the China′s Choice on the Issue of Digital Sequence Information of Genetic Resources

遗传资源数字序列信息是近年来合成生物学突飞猛进和DNA测序便捷化的产物。遗传资源数字序列信息相关的法律问题吸引了国际组织和国家的广泛讨论。数字序列信息利用的广泛性和普遍性对保护生物多样性产生积极影响,同时也给遗传资源的获取和惠益分享带来挑战。数字序列信息的术语确定、内容范围和如何使用的争论体现了发达国家和发展中国家之间在数字序列信息的法律属性认定和惠益分享方面存在的分歧。我国应利用缔约方大会谈判推动进程,在国际谈判中将数字序列信息放在《名古屋议定书》框架下讨论,将其解释为“遗传资源”,对数字序列信息的测序和存储解释为“利用遗传资源”。《生物遗传资源获取与惠益分享管理条例(草案)》中不应过分强调利用生物遗传资源的物理材料以及有形性,而应该注重保护与遗传资源相关的信息或数据,整合和新建数字序列信息数据库。

The digital sequence information of genetic resources is the product of the swift advent of synthetic biology and the rapid development of DNA mutation.The legal issues entailed by digital sequence information have sparked heated debates across international organizations and countries.The widespread and universal use of digital sequence information positively affects biodiversity protection.However,it also brings challenges to the access and benefit sharing of genetic resources.The controversy over the definition of the terminology,scope of content and the proper usage of digital sequence information reflects the disparities between developed and developing countries in identifying legal attributes and benefit sharing of digital sequence information.China should actively participate in multilateral negotiations and bilateral consultations on digital sequence information.It is necessary to put digital sequence information under the framework of the"Nagoya Protocol"and interpret it as"genetic resources"and interpret the sequencing and storage of digital sequence information as the"utilization of genetic resources".The"Regulations on the Administration of the Access and Benefit Sharing of Biological Genetic Resources(Draft)" should not overemphasize the physical materials and tangibility of the use of biological genetic resources.They should,however,focus on the protection of information or data regarding genetic resources and integrate and build a database of digital sequence information.