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The Chinese scientist who claims to have created the first genetically modified babies in the world says he is "proud" of the highly controversial procedure but says the trial is halted because of the international outcry.
PAUSED. Chinese scientist He Jiankui speaks at the Second International Summit on Human Genome Modification in Hong Kong on November 28, 2018. Photo by Anthony Wallace / AFP
HONG KONG, China – The Chinese scientist, who claims to have created the first genetically modified babies in the world, defended the highly controversial procedure on Wednesday, November 28, but announced the end of the trial following an international outcry.
He Jiankui told a busy biomedical conference in Hong Kong that he was "proud" of having succeeded in altering the DNA of binoculars born to an HIV-positive father, an apparent medical breakthrough .
But the details of the experiment, which have not been independently verified, triggered an immediate reaction, experts denouncing Il's work as an ethical "mess".
"The clinical trial was halted because of the current situation," said He. "For this particular case, I feel proud, in fact, I am most proud."
The university professor said their DNA was changed to prevent twin girls, born a few weeks ago, from contracting HIV. Eight pairs of volunteers – HIV-positive fathers and HIV-negative mothers – enrolled in the trial, including one that was dropped before the break.
He said that there had been "another potential pregnancy" involving a second couple, but that when asked questions, it was agreed that it was a problem. a chemical pregnancy – a term referring to a very early miscarriage.
The experiment has sparked a heated debate among scientists about the risks involved. The editing of human embryos can create unexpected mutations in other areas, called "untargeted effects," which can have a lifelong impact, the experts warned.
"The volunteers were informed of the risk posed by the existence of potentially off-target potential and decided to implant it," he said Wednesday, while he was bombarded with questions about the test.
He also said that he personally took charge of most of the patients' medical expenses and that his university in Shenzhen city, in the south of China, "did not know the course of the study."
The University of Science and Technology of the South stands out from He, claiming that he had been on leave without pay since February and had "seriously violated academic ethics".
"Not backwards"
The organizers of the Second International Summit on Human Genome Review also said they did not know about God's work.
The conference moderator, Robin Lovell-Badge, said his lawsuit was a "step back" for the science industry, but he nonetheless described the birth of these babies as "memorable".
"This is an example of an approach that was not sufficiently prudent and proportionate," he said.
"Clearly though … it's an important point in history."
Nobel laureate David Baltimore, the summit's president, said there had been "a failure of self-regulation by the scientific community".
Antonio Regalado, editor-in-chief of biomedicine for the MIT Technology Review – the publication that highlighted the trial on Sunday, November 25 – said his speech was "a half-ethical disaster."
Trained at Stanford University, he explained that twins' DNA had been modified using CRISPR, a technique that allows scientists to remove and replace a strand with extreme precision.
But the co-inventor of CRISPR condemned He's trial as dangerous and useless.
"What worries me is that this experience really should not have happened," Feng Zhang told reporters at the conference. "What he did was not transparent … does not represent science."
& # 39; s resolutely opposing & # 39;
Gene editing is a potential solution for inherited diseases, but it is extremely controversial because the changes would be passed on to future generations and could potentially affect the entire gene pool.
In many countries, editing of human DNA is tightly controlled.
His experience would be outlawed by Chinese laws and regulations, according to the CCTV television channel, citing remarks by Xu Nanping, vice minister of the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.
Specifically, Chinese laws limit in vitro research on human embryonic stem cells to a maximum of 14 days, Xu said.
But the former head of the Chinese Ministry of Health, Qiu Renzong, said that lax regulation in China means that scientists who break the rules are often not punished.
The National Health Commission of China has ordered an "immediate investigation", reported the Xinhua official news agency, while the Shenzhen hospital supposed to have approved the research had denied its involvement.
A union of Chinese scientists issued a statement in which he said he "would resolutely oppose the so-called scientific research and applications of biotechnology that violate the spirit of science and technology." "Ethics," said Xinhua.
There is a history of fraud within the Chinese academic community, including a scandal last year that led to the removal of 100 "compromise" papers.
He did not disclose the identity of the participants at his trial.
"It would be really unfortunate (…) that the whole world is looking at the first two children published on the genome, because think of the pressure that will put them under," said Lovell-Badge.
Nicholas Evans, an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, tweeted: "(D) do not get me wrong, privacy is vital here, but I'm afraid nobody ever manages to independently corroborate it. ;history." – Rappler.com
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