. Earth Science News .
ABOUT US
Genetics summit holds breath for Chinese baby-editing details
By Helen ROXBURGH and Yan ZHAO
Hong Kong (AFP) Nov 28, 2018

Chinese hospital denies approving gene-edited babies experiment
Beijing (AFP) Nov 27, 2018 - The Chinese hospital linked to a controversial experiment purporting to have created the world's first genetically-edited babies denied its involvement Tuesday.

Shenzhen Harmonicare Women and Children's Hospital said in a statement that it suspected the signature on a document approving the experiment, specifically its adherence to ethical standards, was falsified.

It has also asked police to investigate.

"We have always firmly opposed the development of genetic experiments that violate human ethics and morality," the hospital said on its website.

The experiment, which was led by Chinese professor He Jiankui, claims to have altered the DNA of twin girls born a few weeks ago to prevent them from contracting HIV, and has prompted a heated debate among the scientific community.

Some warned that exposing healthy embryos and children to gene editing was irresponsible, while others denounced He's experiment as premature and dangerous.

Chinese scientists and institutions have also criticised the experiment, with 100 scientists in China issuing a joint statement calling for better state legislation.

"It is a great blow to the global reputation and development of biomedical research in China," said the statement posted on the Twitter-like platform Weibo.

The university where He works has also distanced itself from the scientist's experiment.

"This research work was carried out by Professor He Jiankui outside of the school," the Southern University of Science and Technology said in a statement Monday.

He has been on unpaid leave since February and his research is a "serious violation of academic ethics and norms", it said.

The Shenzhen Harmonicare Women and Children's Hospital too has denied any involvement with He.

In interviews with Chinese media, Cheng Zhen, the general manager of the hospital, said the hospital had not partnered with He, and that he had never even met the man before.

He's experiment -- if it had been carried out -- is prohibited under Chinese laws and regulations, according to state media CCTV in a report citing remarks at a Tuesday event by the deputy minister of China's Ministry of Science and Technology, Xu Nanping.

Specifically, Chinese laws limit in vitro human embryonic stem cell research to a maximum of 14 days, said Xu.

Organisers of a conference that has been upended by gene-edited baby revelations are holding their breath as to what the controversial scientist at the centre of the "breakthrough" will say when he takes the stage.

Chinese scientist He Jiankui is due to speak Wednesday at a summit of biomedical experts in Hong Kong, just days after publishing claims to have created the world's first genetically-edited babies.

In a video posted on YouTube, university professor He said that the twin girls, born a few weeks ago, had had their DNA altered to prevent them from contracting HIV.

The move -- which would be a medical first if true -- prompted a heated debate among the scientific community, with many raising concerns over the lack of verified data and exposing healthy embryos and children to gene editing.

Organisers of the Second International Summit on Human Genome Editing, which opened Tuesday, also appeared to have been unaware of He's work.

Biologist and summit chair David Baltimore told AFP on the sidelines of the conference that he had "no idea whether (He is) reliable or not".

"I haven't seen any of the research and I don't know what he is planning to claim," Baltimore said.

Keynote speakers were mobbed by the press on the opening day, after the conference drew international attention on the back of the gene baby revelations.

John Christodoulou, chair of genomic medicine at the University of Melbourne, said it seemed the research had "bypassed the usual ethical regulatory processes".

"But if what he has done is to edit human embryos, and for them to be carried through to birth... there is a real risk of so-called off-target effects," he added.

"The technology can create mutations or break chromosomes in other areas apart from where we're hoping it's being targeted."

Margaret Sleeboom-Faulkner from the University of Sussex told AFP Tuesday that "it will be very wise to make sure that this shouldn't happen as a standard".

He, who was educated at Stanford University and works from a lab in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, said the twins' DNA was modified using CRISPR, a technique which allows scientists to remove and replace a strand with pinpoint precision.

Gene editing is a potential fix for heritable diseases but it is extremely controversial because the changes would be passed down to future generations and could eventually affect the entire gene pool.

- 'Immediate investigation' -

Qiu Renzong, formerly the vice president of the Chinese Ministry of Health's ethics committee, told reporters at the gene editing conference that lax regulations in China mean that scientists who break the rules often face no punishment, and think of the ministry as being "without teeth".

He Jiankui is due to join a panel discussion Wednesday and speak Thursday on developing moral principles and safety standards in human gene editing.

But as sceptical experts cast doubt over the claimed breakthrough, his research came under fire on a number of other fronts too.

China's National Health Commission ordered an "immediate investigation" into the case, the official Xinhua news agency reported, while the Shenzhen hospital meant to have approved the research programme denied its involvement.

The university where He works also distanced itself -- saying he had been on unpaid leave since February -- and called his claims a "serious violation of academic ethics and norms".

He did not respond to a request for comment from AFP.

The issue of editing human DNA is highly controversial, and in many countries is tightly controlled.

But this is not the first time Chinese researchers have experimented with human embryo technology.

Last September, scientists at Sun Yat-sen University used an adapted version of gene-editing to correct a disease-causing mutation in human embryos.

There is also a history of fraud within China's academic community -- including a scandal last year that led to the withdrawal of 100 "compromised" academic papers.

A joint statement Monday from a group of 100 scientists in China criticised He Jiankui's claims and called them a "great blow to the global reputation and development of biomedical research in China".


Related Links
All About Human Beings and How We Got To Be Here


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


ABOUT US
China orders probe into scientist claims of first gene-edited babies
Hong Kong (AFP) Nov 26, 2018
Beijing has ordered an investigation into claims by a Chinese scientist to have created the world's first genetically-edited babies, a move that would be a ground-breaking medical first but which has generated a barrage of criticism. A video posted on YouTube by university professor He Jiankui said that the twin girls, born a few weeks ago, had had their DNA altered to prevent them from contracting HIV, prompting a heated debate among the scientific community. As experts cast doubt over the clai ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

ABOUT US
Morocco navy finds 15 migrants dead in stranded boat

US Army unfurls miles of fencing along border with Mexico

EU to curb phone costs, set up emergency alert system

Trump says troops to remain at border 'as long as necessary'

ABOUT US
How to melt gold at room temperature

Researchers create new 'smart' material with potential biomedical, environmental uses

NRL demonstrates new non-mechanical laser steering technology

Laser communications technology from Tesat setting new records

ABOUT US
Drinking water sucked from the dusty desert air

How the Atlantic Ocean became part of the global circulation at a climatic tipping point

Ocean circulation in North Atlantic at its weakest

In Quebec, Canada's newest hydroelectric dams nearly ready

ABOUT US
Is Antarctica becoming more like Greenland?

Antarctic melting slows atmospheric warming and speeds sea level rise

Antarctica's hidden landscape shaped by rivers in warmer era

Operation IceBridge flies over Iceberg B-46

ABOUT US
Floods ravage rice production in Niger's Diffa region

The tragedy of the commons - minus the tragedy

New biocontainment strategy controls spread of escaped GMOs

French wine market to shrink further, but organics surge: report

ABOUT US
Iraq floods leave 21 dead in two days: health ministry

More than 700 hurt in Iran quake

Sunset crater, San Francisco volcanic field

Seven dead in floods north of Iraqi capital

ABOUT US
Comoros displays captured 'rebel' arsenal

Dozen herders killed in clashes with hunters in Mali: mayor

Niger to move protected giraffes as habitat shrinks

Nigerian troops foil Boko Haram attack

ABOUT US
US missionary's body could be lost in battle to preserve isolated tribe

China orders probe into scientist claims of first gene-edited babies

China scientist claims world's first gene-edited babies

Paradise regained? Experts call for European approach to US housing









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.