Disease-resistant babies ?: Chinese scientists say they have created

The scientist who led the research, He Jiankui, revealed that the fertilization process that followed until the birth took place this month. the Lulu and Nana twins, "genetically modified".

"The results indicate that the operation worked properly, as expected," said the researcher in a video posted on YouTube, adding that the babies "They have their genes altered so that they can not contract HIV."

According to him, the amendment is not aimed at eliminating genetic diseases, but "to give girls the natural ability to resist a possible HIV infection," the EFE news agency added today.

To achieve its goal, the scientific team "deactivated" the CCR5 gene, that would be in practice a "The improvement of DNA," He explained, and said that next month, "more details about the survey will be published".

Although the research was published by the Mbadachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the local newspaper China Daily He noted that the university to which belong the scientists "did not record the study," adding that the health authorities of Shenzhen "have not received any request "to carry them out.

The newspaper also said that the investigation "sparked controversy" between academics and citizens of the country "for its ethics and effectiveness".