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HONG KONG: Chinese scientist at the center of an ethical storm over what he claims to be the first genetically modified babies in the world said on Wednesday he was proud of his job and revealed that a "potential" second pregnancy was part of the research.
He Jiankui, associate professor at Southern University Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China, delivered a speech in front of a packed audience of about 700 people attending the Summit on the Human Genome Publishing in Beijing. University of Hong Kong.
"For this case, I am proud. I feel most proud, "he said when he was challenged by several peers at the conference.
When asked if there were any other pregnancies changed as part of his tests, he replied that there was another "potential" pregnancy and answered "yes" to a question. follow-up, ie whether it was a "chemical pregnancy", which refers to a pregnancy. early miscarriage.
It was not clear whether the pregnancy was over or not.
He, who said his work was self-financing, dismissed concerns that the research had been conducted in secret, explaining that he had mobilized the scientific community over the past 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-editing technology called CRISPR-Cas9 to modify the embryonic genes of binoculars born this month.
He added that gene editing would help protect girls from infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
But scientists and the Chinese government have denounced the work done by He, and a hospital related to his research suggested that his ethical approval had been forged.
Conference moderator, Robin Lovell-Badge, said the summit organizers were not aware of the story until the case went off 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 released Tuesday, 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 the China.
More than 100 scientists, most of them 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
He, who said he was opposed to improving genes, said that eight couples had initially been enrolled in his study and 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 said all participants had "a good education background" and had two rounds of discussions with him and his team.
A 23-page English translation of an informed consent form intended 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.
After his speech, David Baltimore, president emeritus and biology professor Robert Andrews Millikan at the California Institute of Technology, said it was irresponsible to have proceeded until security issues were resolved.
"I do not think it's a transparent process. We only learned the news that after the children were born, "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 clinical trial project in China, tried to distance itself by saying that the hospital had never been involved in gene-affected childbirth had not occurred.
In a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on Tuesday, the group said preliminary investigations had revealed that the signatures on the application form distributed over the Internet were "presumed to have been forged, and that no relevant meeting of the committee was held. # 39; medical ethics of the hospital was actually occurred ".
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.
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