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The statement of a Chinese scientist that he allegedly contributed to the creation of the world's first "genetically modified" baby, a pair of binoculars, who may be resistant to HIV and other diseases, has sparked controversy. country, in a rare move, condemning "gene editing".
Although science is considered both audacious and dangerous, scientists and experts have argued that, if true, the experience raises profound ethical questions – as in the science fiction film of 1997, Gattaca.
According to the MIT Technology Review and the Associated Press (AP), scientist He Jiankui of the Southern Science and Technology University of Shenzhen, in southern China, claimed to have changed the embryos of seven couples.
"According to Chinese medical documents published online this month, a team from Shenzhen's Southern University of Science and Technology recruited couples to create the first working group of published babies. They were planning to eliminate a gene called CCR5 in the hope of making the offspring resistant to HIV, smallpox and cholera, "said the MIT Technology Review in a report on Monday.
Read also: India should take the lead on the debate on the editing of genes
Within hours of being reported, the 122 scientists published a statement on Weibo (version chinese of Twitter) questioning the ethics and potential pitfalls of DIY with human genes.
The experiment can only be described as madness. The precision of gene editing technology CRISPR and the untargeted effects it produces are highly controversial within the scientific community and any attempt to directly transform a human embryo and produce a baby before rigorous new testing a huge risk, "said the scientists.
He Jiankui told The Associated Press that his goal was not to cure or prevent an inherited disease, "But to try to confer a trait that few people have naturally – an ability to withstand a possible possible infection with HIV, the AIDS virus. "
"There is no independent confirmation of his claim, and it has not been published in a newspaper, where he would be examined by other experts." He revealed it Monday in Hong Kong at one of the organizers of an international conference on gene editing that is scheduled to begin Tuesday, "says the AP report.
If the claims prove true, this will deepen the ongoing debate about genetic modification.
"The birth of the first genetically adapted human being would be a remarkable medical feat, both for him and for China. But this will also be controversial. Where some see a new form of medication that eliminates genetic diseases, others see a slippery slope toward improvements, baby designers and a new form of eugenics, "said the MIT report. 19659002] A large group of Chinese scientists have agreed on the risks
This is not the first time that Chinese scientists claim a breakthrough in the modification of embryo genes.
In 2016 , researchers from the Guangzhou University of Medicine in southern China, used "… a gene editing technique called CRISPR / Cas to replace the CCR5 gene in 26 human embryos carrying an HIV-resistant mutation, only four embryos were successfully published, while the other 22 did not produce the desired results. "
The research was reported in the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Geology. Netics.
"In this study, we have demonstrated that the CRISPR system could introduce resistant mutations in early human embryos," said Fan Yong, a researcher at the Guangzhou Medical University and author of the journal, China Daily newspaper, controlled by the State,
First published: Nov. 26, 2018 18:39 IST
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