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A Chinese scientist who claims to have "made" the world's first genetically modified human baby to defend his work.
Speaking at the genomics summit in Hong Kong, He Jiankui, a professor at a university in Shenzhen, China, said he was "proud" of his work.
His claim, which provoked great anger among scientists, has not been independently verified.
Previously, scientists doubted He Jiankui's claim that he "made" the first human baby with a modified gene.
Professor He Jiankui said that a pair of binoculars born a few weeks ago had undergone a process of DNA modification while it was still in embryo form, in order to prevent them from getting HIV.
His acknowledgment, as recorded by the Associated Press (AP) news agency, has not been tested and has actually triggered the wrath of other scientists who say the plan is very bad.
The procedure is also prohibited in many countries.
Future generation
Genetic engineering is thought to help prevent hereditary diseases by suppressing or modifying problematic genetic codes of the embryo.
Many inherited diseases are encoded by mutations in the DNA. (Scientific photo library)
But experts worry, genome editing in the embryo can cause problems, not only in related babies, but also in later generations who inherit similar changes.
In addition, many countries, including the United Kingdom, have put in place regulations prohibiting gene modification in the embryo for the benefit of procreation badistance in humans.
Scientists are allowed to examine the editing of genes in embryos of unused baby tubes, provided that they are experimentally destroyed and not used to become babies.
& # 39; Artificial baby & # 39;
However, Professor He, a Stanford graduate and researcher at a laboratory in the southern city of Shenzhen, claimed to have used baby retouching equipment to make two binoculars named "Lulu" and "Nana". ".
In this video, he claims that he has eliminated a gene called CCR5 to immunize both babies against HIV if they are exposed to the virus.
He said that gene editing was only about creating children immune to the disease, not about creating artificial babies with a personalized color or high IQ.
"I know that what I'm doing is controversial, but I'm sure many families need this technology and I'm willing to accept all of these critics for their good," Professor He said in the video.
Very treatable
Several organizations, including hospitals related to Professor He's claims, denied any involvement in the proceedings.
The South Senzhen University of Science and Technology said it knew nothing about the research project and would investigate immediately.
Other scientists say that if the report is true, Professor He went too far in experimenting with healthy embryos without justification.
Professor He Jiankui said that a pair of binoculars born a few weeks ago had undergone a process of DNA modification while it was still in embryo form, in order to prevent them from getting HIV. (AFP)
Professor Robert Winston, retired professor of fertility and natural sciences and society at Imperial College London, said: "If the report is a lie, it is a scientific act that violates the rules and is very irresponsible.
"If that's true, the action is still clbadified as a scientific violation."
Dr. Dusko Ilic, stem cell expert at King's College London, says, "If this procedure is considered ethical, its perception of ethics is very different from what everyone adheres to. "
He said that HIV is highly treatable and that if the infection can be controlled by taking medication, there is virtually no risk that both parents will transmit the disease to their child.
Too risky
Professor Julian Savulescu, an ethicist at Oxford University, said, "If that is true, the experiment is very bad. Embryos are not diseases detected.
"Genetic engineering itself is experimental and still involves imprecise target mutations, which can cause genetic problems early on in the future, including the growth of cancer cells.
"The experiment actually puts normal and healthy children at risk of being at risk for genetic modification, without significant benefits"
Maybe in the future, according to scientists, genetic engineering procedures to "create" babies will be accepted, but many things still need to be verified and reviewed before legalizing this procedure.
Dr. Yalda Jamshidi, Human Genetics Expert at St. George's, University of London, says, "We do not know what the long-term effects are and most people have to admit that the experiments on the human body in treatable conditions, for the sole purpose of increasing our knowledge, are not morally acceptable.
"However, as a society, we need to think seriously and quickly about when and how we want to take risks from the different types of new treatments available – in particular, treatments that can affect future generations."
(Ita)
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