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Reuters .- Chinese health authorities and medical ethics Monday opened an investigation into the statements of a scientist who posted YouTube videos claiming to have changed the genes of twins born at the beginning of the month, which would imply who created the first genetically modified babies.
The South University of Science and Technology of Shenzhen City, in southern China, where scientist He Jiankui has an badociate chair, said that he did not know the project and that The investigator was on leave without pay since February
. He had defended what he claims to have achieved, claiming that he had carried out genetic editing intended to protect babies from future AIDS virus infection. But the university said the investigation constituted a "serious violation of ethics and academic standards" and experts around the world condemned it, calling it "monstrous and dangerous." ".
The entity issued a statement as a result of what I said in Five videos released Monday using a genetic editing technology known as CRISPR-Cas9 to modify genes twins of Lulu and Nana, the names of the babies according to He.
The Commission The Chinese National Health Service said "very worried" and ordered the provincial health authorities "to investigate immediately and clarify the situation". "We must be responsible for the health of the people and we will act according to the law," he said in a statement.
The Shenzhen Medical Ethics Committee stated that it was investigating the case.
videos that the editing process, which he called genetic surgery, "worked as safely as expected" and that girls are "as healthy as any other baby". It was impossible to verify the claims, as the expert did not provide written documentation regarding his study.
CRISPR-Cas9 is a technology that allows scientists to cut and glue DNA, offering hope for genetic solutions to fight disease. However, he also raises concerns about his safety and ethics.
"If true, this experience is monstrous," said Julian Savulescu, a specialist in medical ethics at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Kathy Niakan, an expert at the Francis Crick Institute in London, said: "If this is true (…), it would be a very irresponsible, unethical and dangerous use of genomic publishing technology. "
Southern University of Science and Technology He said that he would be on leave until 2021. Contacted for comments, he said – without specifying a date – that he was on leave volunteer for several years to devote himself to his research.
"I understand that my work will be controversial, but I believe that families need this technology and I am willing to accept their criticism," says the scientist in one of the videos.
In a previous interview with Reuters, he said his goal was to give babies "lifelong protection" against HIV. He started work in the second half of 2017 and recruited eight HIV-positive couples. Five chose to implant embryos, including the parents of the twins, identified only by the pseudonyms Mark and Grace.
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