STRANGE WORLD

World is not yet ready for genetic manipulation in babies

Scientists gathered this week in Hong Kong for an international conference on gene manipulation, the ability to rewrite the 'map of life' to try to combat or prevent disease.
Although science gives promising indications to help people who are already born, it is irresponsible to carry out experiments on eggs, spermatozoids or embryos because they do not know enough about possible risks, a group of 14 experts linked to the conference said in a statement.
The conference was marked by the claim of a Chinese scientist who helped create the first babies in the world whose DNA was manipulated, twins He Jiankui said were born earlier this month.
The group called for an independent investigation into the allegation of He Jiankui, who spoke to the group on Wednesday after negative reactions from the international scientific community.
The three-day conference was promoted by the Hong Kong Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society of the United Kingdom and the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Medicine, both of the United States.
However, the Chinese scientist, who claimed to have created the world's first genetically engineered baby, announced Wednesday that he will pause in experiments at a time of growing international criticism.
"There will be a pause in clinical trials, given the current situation," He Jiankui told the Hong Kong experts conference in which he reiterated responsibility for the birth of twins whose DNA was manipulated to make them resistant to the virus. AIDS.
At the same international conference, a former Nobel laureate David Baltimore said the work of the Chinese scientist showed a flaw of self-regulation among scientists. Baltimore emphasized that He's work "would be considered irresponsible" because it did not meet criteria that many scientists agreed on several years ago before genetic manipulation was even considered.
He said the twins were born this month and were designed to withstand possible future AIDS virus infections.
Another prominent American scientist who spoke at the conference, Harvard Medical School Dean George Daley warned of an adverse reaction to He's claim.
Daley argued that it would be unfortunate if a misstep with a first case led scientists and regulators to reject the good that could come from altering DNA to treat or prevent disease.
There is still no independent confirmation of the Chinese scientist's claim, but scientists and regulators were quick to condemn the experience as unethical and unscientific.
Guangdong investigated the actions of He Jiankui, while his employer, the South University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, also announced to have opened an inquiry.
He studied at Rice and Stanford universities in the United States before returning to his home country to open a laboratory at the South China University of Science and Technology, where he also has two genetics companies.
A US scientist has said he has worked with He on this project. He is the professor of physics and bioengineering Michael Deem, who was adviser to He at Rice University in Houston. Deem also holds "a small stake" in the two He Jiankui companies, he said.
All men in the project had HIV, while all women did not, but genetic manipulation was not aimed at avoiding the small risk of transmission, he explained. Lusa Agency