A Chinese geneticist reveals another "potential" pregnancy modified by a gene

HONG KONG: A Chinese scientist at the center of an ethical storm over what he claims to be the first genetically modified babies in the world said Wednesday that he was proud of his job and had revealed that a second "potential" pregnancy was part of the research.

He Jiankui, badociate professor at the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China, spoke to a packed audience of about 700 people attending the Genome Publishing Summit. human at the University of Hong Kong.

"In this case, I am proud, and I am the most proud," he told colleagues at the conference.

Asked if there were any other pregnancies changed as part of his testing, he stated that there was another pregnancy "potential" and answered "yes" to a question follow up on the point of knowing whether it was a "chemical pregnancy". refers to an early miscarriage.

It was not clear whether the pregnancy was over or not.

Himself, who stated that his work was self-financing, dismissed concerns that research had been conducted in secret, explaining that he had mobilized the scientific community over the last three years.

"This study has been submitted to a scientific review for review," he said. He did not name the newspaper and said his university was not aware of his study.

In videos posted online this week, he said he used a gene-modification technology called CRISPR-Cas9 to modify the embryonic genes of binoculars born this month.

He stated that gene editing would help protect girls from infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

But scientists and the Chinese government denounced the work he claimed to have done, and a hospital linked to his research suggested that his ethical approval had been forged.

The conference moderator, Robin Lovell-Badge, said the summit organizers were not aware of the story until it broke out this week.

CRISPR-Cas9 is a technology that allows scientists to cut and glue DNA, which gives hope for genetic solutions to the disease. However, there are concerns about security and ethics.

In a statement, the Chinese Society of Cell Biology strongly condemned any application of gene editing to human embryos for reproductive purposes and said that this was contrary to the law and medical ethics of China.

More than 100 scientists, mainly in China, said Tuesday in an open letter that the use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology to alter human embryo genes was dangerous and unjustified. "The Pandora's box has been opened," they said.

INFORMED CONSENT

Himself, who said he was opposed to improving genes, said that eight couples had initially been enrolled in his study and that one another had dropped out of school. The criteria required that the father be HIV-positive and that the mother be HIV-negative.

Scientists at the conference urged him to prove that trial participants were aware of all the risks involved in the process.

He stated that all participants had "good educational background" and had two rounds of discussions with him and his team.

A 23-page English translation of an informed consent form for the expectant mother indicates that the costs of the procedure covered by the team would rise to 280,000 yuan ($ 40,200) per couple.

The consent form mentions multiple risks, but there is little detail about the potential complications of the gene editing process itself, including for the child. He does not mention that such an experiment has never been done before.

David Baltimore, president emeritus and biology professor Robert Andrews Millikan at the California Institute of Technology, spoke after He's speech, saying it was irresponsible to have proceeded until security issues are resolved.

"I do not think it's a transparent process, it was discovered only afterwards and after the birth of the children," Baltimore said.

He Jiankui said his findings could be used for millions of people with hereditary diseases. He said he would monitor both newborns for the next 18 years and hoped that they would support continued surveillance eventually.

Shenzhen Harmonicare Medical Holdings Limited, quoted in the Chinese clinical trial project, attempted to distance itself by stating that the hospital had never been involved in genetically modified baby operations and that no delivery occurred. had taken place.

In a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Tuesday, the group said that a preliminary investigation had revealed that the signatures on the application form posted on the Internet were "suspected of being falsified, and that no relevant meeting of the hospital's medical ethics committee actually took place. "

The Health Commission of Guangdong Province announced Wednesday on its website that she and Shenzhen City had set up a joint team to investigate the case.