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SHANGHAI / LONDON – China's health and medical ethics authorities on Monday opened an investigation into a researcher who posted videos on YouTube claiming he had changed the binoculars genes earlier this month , creating the first genetically modified babies.
The University of Science and Technology South of China's Shenzhen City – where scientist, associate professor He Jiankui is working – said that she was not aware of the research project and Professor He was on leave without pay since February.
He defended what he claimed to have done, saying he had done the genetic modification to protect babies against future HIV infection.
But his university said it was "a serious violation of ethics and academic standards" and scientists have condemned it worldwide.
The university issued a statement after Professor He had stated in five videos released Monday that he was using a gene editing technology known as Crispr-Cas9.
This basically allows scientists to cut and paste DNA. There are concerns about his safety and ethics.
The National Health Commission of China said that she was "very concerned" and had ordered provincial health officials "to immediately investigate the case and clarify the situation".
The Shenzhen Medical Ethics Committee said that he was investigating the case.
Professor He said in a video that the editing process "worked as expected" and that the twins were "as healthy as the other babies". He did not provide written documentation of his research.
"If this is true, this experience is monstrous," said Professor Julien Savulescu, a specialist in medical ethics at the University of Oxford. – REUTERS
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