THE WORLD’S FIRST GENETICALLY EDITED BABIES.
Chinese scientist says he edited human DNA
A Chinese scientist has rocked the world of genetics with claims Monday that he used gene-editing technology to alter the DNA of embryos that have now produced twin girls. The experiment to try to make the babies resistant to HIV infection has been condemned as unethical, and underlines the controversy surrounding this cutting-edge science.
He Jiankui, a researcher in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, has yet to publish proof of the world’s first genetically edited babies, born earlier this month. But he defended his research in a video posted to YouTube.
“I understand my work will be controversial, but I believe families need this technology, and I’m willing to take the criticism for them,” he said.
The university where he is based, Southern University of Science and Technology of China, said it will hire experts to investigate, saying the work “seriously violated academic ethics and standards.”
Here’s a primer on what all the fuss is about.
WHAT IS GENE EDITING, ANYWAY?
This is technology that can change the genetic building blocks of life by adding or subtracting material at various locations in the genome. The development of a new editing tool — CRISPR-Cas9 — has made the process easier, more precise and cheaper, generating scientific excitement. But you’re wondering, what does that acronym stand for? Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9. You asked!
WHY THE EXCITEMENT?
The enthusiasm stems from gene editing’s potential to help better understand diseases, and to prevent or treat certain illnesses. Studies have focused on genetic ailments like cystic fibrosis, hemophilia and sickle-cell anemia, but it might also apply to more complex illnesses like cancer, heart disease and HIV. In fact, treatments involving some diseases are now in clinical trials. In simple terms, the idea is to change the genetic content of cells so a disease in a living person is halted or prevented, or so it is not passed on to future generations.
WHY IS IT CONTROVERSIAL?
Much of the research is focused around animal testing, since the safety of gene editing on human beings has not been confirmed. The main thrust of human study is addressing disease in “somatic” cells, those that cannot be inherited. Altering the genes in germ cells — like those in sperm and eggs — is what raises major ethical questions. One fear is the technology could be used to produce enhanced, designer humans, by programming facial appearance, height or intelligence levels, though some scientists doubt that is technically possible.
“Not only do I see this as risky, but I am also deeply concerned about the lack of transparency” around He’s work in China, said Feng Zhang, co-inventor of the CRISPR-cas9 and a scientist at MIT’s Broad Institute.
IS IT SAFE?
Another concern is about possible harmful side effects from gene editing, such as “off-target” errors where the edits occur in the wrong place, or “mosaicism,” where some cells have the edit but not others.
Some experts argue that until those safety issues are resolved, the potential harms outweigh the benefits of altering the genome of an embryo as opposed to someone who already has or will have a serious disease.
That is at the core of why the Chinese project — which purports to have changed genes to prevent the resulting person from ever getting HIV — is being condemned.
“If true, this experiment is monstrous,” Oxford University ethics professor Julian Savulescu told the Guardian newspaper.
A SECURITY DANGER?
The U.S. intelligence community’s official threat assessment has raised the prospect of unregulated gene editing being used to produce harmful biological agents.
“Its deliberate or unintentional misuse might lead to far-reaching economic and national security implications,” said the community’s 2016 report to Congress.
WHAT IS THE LAW AROUND GENE EDITING?
About 40 countries have some kind of law or regulation at least discouraging the type of experiments done in China, where gene-edited embryos are actually implanted in mothers. Canada has one of the most stringent laws, making it a crime — with punishment up to a $500,000 fine and 10 years in prison — to do any gene editing on germ cells.
DOES EVERYONE AGREE ON STRICT LEGAL BANS?
Some Canadian researchers and ethicists are calling for Canada to loosen its rules, so basic research on germ cells can take place here.