China starts research after birth of genetically modified babies

He Jiankui, a professor at the University of Shenzhen in southern China, posted on YouTube a video announcing the birth of two twins a few weeks ago, whose DNA was modified to make them resistant to the AIDS virus. He said the father is HIV positive. Chinese scientists and institutions have received this announcement with strong criticism and the National Health Commission has ordered an "immediate investigation" into the case, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The researcher was trained in Stanford, USA, and runs a genome laboratory in Shenzhen. He said he used the Crispr-Cas9 technique, called "genetic scissors", which removes and replaces unwanted parts of the genome because a computer error is corrected. The babies, called "Lula" and "Nana", are born from in vitro fertilization of a modified embryo before being implanted in the mother's womb.

Unverified experience

The genetic modification of a DNA can be used to prevent diseases, but this practice is problematic in that genetic modifications will be inherited from new generations and could involve a new form of eugenics. The MIT Technology Review recalled that "technology has an ethical responsibility". The announcement of this medical experiment came on the eve of the beginning of a global genome experts conference in Hong Kong, during which the Chinese researcher was to present his findings in detail.

However, after the criticisms received, his intervention in this congress of genetics is not guaranteed. This self-proclaimed medical experience has not been independently verified. The Chinese team did not publish its findings in a scientific journal.

Practice "very problematic"

After the announcement, many Chinese scientists and organizations criticized this experience. The university in which he works reports that he stopped receiving his salary since February and felt that fertilization with modified genes represented "a violation of the ethical standards of the academy and its standards. ".

"This research was conducted outside of the university," said Monday the University of Science and Technology South in a statement. A hundred Chinese scientists have also issued a joint statement criticizing the experience and calling for a change in legislation on in vitro fertilization.

This medical experiment was known for some time, but no scientist dared to use it because "no one can predict the uncertain impact of these genetic modifications," criticizes this group of scientists who believe they have open "a Pandora's box". In addition, international researchers have criticized the announcement made through a video on YouTube.

"Announcing these results in a YouTube video is a very problematic scientific practice," lamented Nicholas Evans, professor of philosophy at the University of Mbadachusetts Lowell, in the United States, who works on Bioethics. "This is moving away from the control processes on which many scientific advances, such as peer review, are based," he added.

Whether it is advertised or not, the subject raises "serious ethical concerns." Making such claims, seemingly deliberately seeking maximum controversy, is irresponsible, "says Sarah Chan, of the University of Toronto. Edinburgh, cited by the Science Media Center. He Jiankui did not immediately respond to AFP's questions.