Babies debate, edited by genius, continues

Six months ago, a Chinese scientist was widely criticized for helping to make the first modified by gene babies.

New information suggests that other people might be interested in the same type of work.

William Hurlbut is a bioethicist at Stanford University in the United States. He told The Associated Press (AP) that a fertility center located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, had written to scientist He Jiankui by email. Hurlburt said the center wanted a gene editing course and asked He for information about the process.

The Chinese scientist would have often sought the advice of Stanford's doctor.

Hurlburt told the AP that he had told her that he had heard scientists from more than one country and families from inherited health problems. He said that they had shown their support and interest in modifying the genes of human embryos. Hurlbut gave the AP an email he said that Dubai clinical sent to him in December.

This shows "what ardor Mr. Hurlbut stated that there is a market for this technology and that there needs to be "some sort of enforceable governance".

Other researchers have also heard of people wishing to publish embryos. Jennifer Doudna works at the University of California at Berkeley. She is the co-inventor of the CRISPR gene editing tool that he used in his research.

Doudna said reports that others would like to publish embryos are "entirely credible. She said scientists should work to put in place policies on how and when such work should take place.

She added that the technology was "not ready for clinical use on human embryos". But, she added, the research should continue.

Doudna receives funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which supports the PA's scientific reports on health and science.

Last November, he announced that he had changed the genes of double girls when they were embryos. He claimed to have done before the birth of girls to help them resist a possible infection with the AIDS virus.

International standards for gene editing

Since then, scientists and policymakers have debated the need for international standards or controls. Embryo gene editing is illegal in many countries because it can damage other genes. Changes in genes can also be passed on to future generations. It is unclear how the edition of one generation will affect the next. Many scientists have condemned his work.

Some also criticized researchers suspected of knowing or strongly suspecting what he was doing.

Hurlbut and two other employees of Stanford University were cleared of any wrongdoing. Rice University in Texas is still searching to find out if its former advisor, Professor Michael Deem, may have been involved.

Hurlbut said that some people have expressed support for him and his research.

"If you call (He) a rascally scientist who did this alone, you miss the truth, "said Hurlbut, adding," then you do not see what's wrong "with the way science is governed around the world.

The Chinese scientist has not been seen publicly since shortly after his speech at a conference in Hong Kong in November. The PA's efforts to reach him by phone and email were unsuccessful.

His complaint has not yet been published in a scientific publication, but the existence of these babies seems to have been confirmed by investigators from Guangdong Province. according to According to investigators from the Chinese Xinhua official news agency, he avoided supervising his work and violated search standards by desire for publicity.

There is no information on the situation of the two girls. There is also a lack of information on the second pregnancy. achieved with a gene-modified embryo. It is thought that this one lasts about seven months now.

International committees have been formed to examine how to deal with this problem.

I am Anne Ball.

And I am Jill Robbins.

Marilynn Marchione wrote this story for the Associated Press. Anne Ball adapted for VOA Learning English. The publisher was George Grow.

What do you think of gene modification in embryos? Is it a good idea or not? Write to us in the comments section below.

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Words in this story

modified by gene – adj. genes, containing DNA, that have been modified before being put back into a body

bioethicist – not. a person who studies the ethics and implications of certain procedures, technologies and biological and medical treatments

inherited – adj. have (a characteristic, a disease, etc.) because of the genes you receive from your parents at birth

ardor – not. very excited and interested

credible – adj. able to believe: reasonable to trust or believe

rascally – adj. used to describe something or someone who is different from others in a generally dangerous or harmful way

reach – v. get or reach (something) by working hard

clinical – not. a place where people get medical help

double – not. Either one of the two babies born at the same time of the same mother

according to – preparation as stated, reported or recorded by (someone or something)