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SHANGHAI: The Chinese government on Thursday ordered the temporary shutdown of research activities for those involved in the editing of human genes, after a Chinese scientist said that he had published the twin baby genes.
Scientist He Jiankui said this week that he has been using a gene modification technology, CRISPR-Cas9, to modify the embryonic genes of binoculars born this month.
His announcement, which has not been verified, has sparked international outcry over the ethics and safety of such research.
"The nature of this incident is extremely unpleasant and the relevant bodies have been ordered to temporarily halt the scientific research activities of the relevant personnel," said the state news agency. Xinhua, citing the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the China Association for Science and Technology Technology.
The organizers of a conference where he claimed to have edited the genes also condemned Thursday's work, calling them "deeply troubling" and "irresponsible".
"Even if the amendments were verified, the procedure was irresponsible and did not comply with international standards," said the organizing committee of the Second International Summit on Human Genome Modification, to be held in Hong Kong this year. week, in a statement.
The committee requested an independent assessment of He's claims.
He added that gene editing would help protect girls from infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
Chinese scientists also condemned the work and the South University of Science and Technology, where he is on leave from his position as an associate professor, announced the opening of an investigation.
The Guangdong Provincial Health Commission said Wednesday on its website that Shenzhen City and its team had set up a team to investigate the case.
His filing in a database of clinical trials in China indicates that a hospital has conducted an ethical review of the project, but the hospital concerned denied that its ethical review committee was never meet to discuss work.
After his presentation on Wednesday, he said he was proud of what he had done.
The Presidents of the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the US National Academy of Medicine (NAM) also expressed concern about He's work.
"The events in Hong Kong this week clearly show the need for us to develop more specific standards and principles that can be endorsed by the international scientific community," SNA Chair Marcia McNutt said in a statement. , and NAM President Victor Dzau.
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