遗传资源数字序列信息问题刍议

Discussion on digital sequence information on genetic resources

遗传资源数字序列信息(DSI)是测序技术的产物,至少包括DNA、RNA等遗传物质的序列信息和天然产物化学结构信息等,其获取和利用以及由此产生的利益分配问题已经成为《生物多样性公约》等国际进程的热点和焦点。自2016年以来,《生物多样性公约》框架下各方对此虽然开展了卓有成效的讨论,但在DSI内涵和外延、与遗传资源的关系、开放获取、监测DSI的利用等领域仍然存在根本分歧。DSI获取与惠益分享问题面临政治博弈、技术障碍、国内法与国际法协调、多公约协同等多重挑战。我国作为全球DSI的主要提供国和利用国,为有效应对DSI获取与惠益分享所带来的挑战和机遇,有必要加强以下方面的相关工作:(1)加强DSI的相关基础研究工作,特别是需要强化跨学科研究,并开展惠益分享试点示范;(2)适时制定生物信息数据管理制度,系统构建生物资源数据分类、汇交、共享、研究、利用、跨境传输、惠益分享等关键制度;(3)加快建成开放、安全、共享、互惠的全球性生物资源数据生产和存储基础设施,加强生物资源数据国际合作;(4)充分发挥诸如中国生物多样性保护国家委员会等跨部门协调机制作用,持续加强我国参与DSI相关国际论坛讨论的协同增效。

Digital sequence information on genetic resources(hereinafter called DSI)refers to data generated through sequencing technologies.It consists of a broad range of genetic sequence data,which includes the digitalized details of an organism’s DNA and RNA,and chemical structure information of natural products.Considering its significance,DSI has become a hot-button issue of discussions around international treaties such as the Convention on Biological Diversity,the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture,and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework for the Sharing of Influenza Viruses and Access to Vaccines and Other Benefits,with particular focus on its access,use,and benefit-sharing process.Since 2016,fruitful discussions have been made among stakeholders about DSI’s access and use,albeit disagreements remain in some areas,examples of which are the connotation and denotation of the placeholder term,DSI’s relevance to genetic resources,the definition of open access,the monitoring of DSI use.Through analytical research of DSI itself and controversies arising from it,we come to the following observations:Science advice alone is not enough to mitigate the differences originating from the conflict of interests between stakeholders;DSI’s placeholder status has made the fulfillment of the benefit-sharing obligation to it more complex;The large variety of domestic regulations around DSI that exist in parties implies that the setup of a feasible,multilateral international system is no easy task;An approach that coordinates different framework conventions is urgently needed to tackle the ongoing challenges facing DSI.To effectively cope with the challenges and opportunities brought by DSI’s access and use,China,as a major provider and user of DSI in the world,should intensify efforts made in the following four areas:(1)Fundamental researches on DSI;to this end,we should encourage the adoption of interdisciplinary approaches in DSI research and introduce pilot demonstration projects on access to and benefit-sharing of DSI;(2)The timely establishment of biological data administration system;we should construct a comprehensive system of biological resource data made up of crucial components including classification,convergence,sharing,research,utilization,cross-border transmission,and benefit-sharing;(3)Infrastructure development that increase the openness,safety,sharing,and reciprocity of the production and storage of global biological resource data;we should strengthen international cooperation in this regard;(4)Better use of the cross-departmental coordination mechanism that involves organizations represented by the China National Committee for Biodiversity Conservation(CNCBC),we should continue to increase the synergy effects originated from China’s greater participation in international fora on DSI.