World's first gene-edited babies? Premature, dangerous and irresponsible
A
scientist in China claims to have produced the world’s first genome-edited
babies by altering their DNA
to increase their resistance to HIV.
Aside from the lack of verifiable evidence for this non peer-reviewed claim,
this research is premature, dangerous and irresponsible.
He
Jiankui from the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen
(which has reportedly since suspended him) said he edited the DNA of seven
embryos being used for fertility treatment, so far resulting in the birth of
one set of twin girls. He says he used the tool known as CRISPR to delete the
embryos’ CCR5 gene (C-C motif chemokine receptor 5), mutations in which are
linked to resistance to HIV
infection.
If
true, this is a significant advance in genetic science, but there are some very
serious problems with this news. First, the research has not yet been published
in a peer-reviewed journal so we cannot be sure of the exact details of what
has been done. Instead, the scientist made the claims to the Associated Press
news organisation, and the journalists involved haven’t been able to
independently verify them. The parents of the allegedly gene-edited babies
declined to be interviewed or identified. Read
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