Translational Bioethics in China: Brain-Computer Interface Research as a Case Study

The research and development of emerging technologies has potential long-term and societal impacts that pose governance challenges. This essay summarizes the development of research ethics in China over the past few decades, as well as the measures taken by the Chinese government to build its ethical governance system of science and technology after the occurrence of the CRISPR-babies incident. The essay then elaborates on the current problems of this system through the case study of ethical governance of brain-computer interface research, and explores how the transition from research ethics to translational bioethics, which encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and focuses on societal implications, may respond to the challenges of ethical governance of science and technology.