[IF] Birth of a child manipulated by gene scissors? Global controversy on bioethics

The global scientific community has been struck by a wave of claims that the birth of a baby whose DNA was corrected by genetic scissors in China. Genetic scissors are enzymatic proteins capable of cutting and correcting specific genes at will. However, in most countries, the birth of a genetically modified baby is not allowed and an ethical controversy may arise in the future.

"A twin baby is born," said Dr. Hugen Kui of Southern Songbai University in Shenzhen, China, who corrected his gene using gene scissors to protect him from AIDS (Immune Deficiency Syndrome). ).

Dr. Hugenkoei stated that he did not allow the CCR5 gene to function in human embryos with genetic scissors. CCR5 participates in the production of HIV-infected proteins that infect HIV in human cells. In the scientific community, research has been accepted as a success.

At the same time as the announcement of Dr. Hugen Kui, criticisms were voiced. On the same day, the Chinese Committee of Medical Ethics Experts of Shenzhen announced its intention to open an investigation into the findings of Dr. Hugen Kui. Contrary to what was known in the beginning, the study was not approved by the school. "The study has nothing to do with school and this has not been done in the school's research facilities," said the South Kaggi Foundation. "It is a serious violation of ethics and a violation of academic standards". He did not publish his findings in international journals.

The accusations of the university world are strong. In a joint statement, 122 Chinese scientists criticized the study, saying "this study has seriously affected the development of life sciences in China." "I deeply regret that this work was done in secret," said Professor Peng Zhang, a professor at the Mbadachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), founder of the third generation gene scissor technology. I am asking for a moratorium on genetically modified studies on the baby. "