PET PET
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
Become a Friend Donate
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements
PETBioNewsNewsUnpublished paper surfaces about the Chinese genome-edited babies

BioNews

Unpublished paper surfaces about the Chinese genome-edited babies

Published 6 December 2019 posted in News and appears in BioNews 1027

Author

Jakki Magowan

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.

The MIT Technology Review has released excerpts of unpublished research from Dr He Jiankui's manuscript that ignored ethical and scientific norms when creating the world's first gene-edited twins...

The MIT Technology Review has released excerpts of unpublished research from Dr He Jiankui's manuscript that ignored ethical and scientific industry standards when creating the world's first genome-edited twins.

His paper, 'Birth of Twins After Genome Editing for HIV Resistance' contains a litany of flaws, omissions, deceptions and egotistical claims, according to MIT.

It also reported that the journals Nature and JAMA rejected the manuscript for publication largely on ethical grounds.

The paper made expansive claims of a 'medical breakthrough' that can control the HIV epidemic. Experts in various fields have contested this. 'That this is a plausible way to control the HIV epidemic seems ludicrous,' said Hank Greely, professor of Law at Stanford University.

The CRISPR/Cas9 technique can be used to edit specific stretches of genetic code. It has the potential to correct mutations at precise locations in the human genome to treat genetic causes of disease. Dr He Jiankui's team attempted to reproduce a known mutation in a gene called CCR5, aiming to generate humans resistant to HIV.

Dr Rita Vassena, Scientific Director of assisted reproduction company Eugin Group said, 'Approaching this document, I was hoping to see a reflective and mindful approach to gene editing in human embryos…unfortunately, it reads more like an experiment in search of a purpose, an attempt to find a defensible reason to use CRISPR/Cas9 technology in human embryos at all costs.'

Scientists have now said that the genome edits made in the study were not the same as the mutations that confer natural HIV resistance and could have created 'off-target' mutations that may lead to health problems.

Dr Fyodor Urnov, a genome-editing scientist at the Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley said, 'The claim they have reproduced the prevalent CCR5 variant is a blatant misrepresentation of the actual data.'

He Jiankui's researchers also ignored evidence that the genome edits were not uniform. Data shows clearly, in one excerpt containing chromatograms of DNA sequences, that the embryos were mosaic. This means different cells in the embryos showed different edits. Some could have a full edit, others partial, some none-at-all. Therefore, some parts of the twins' bodies may still be fully vulnerable to HIV.

Another flaw is that the researchers didn't test whether HIV immunity worked before creating the twins and it is also proving difficult to uncover details about the research.

It is also unclear whether the research went through a proper ethics review. A research plan was registered with the China Clinical Trial Registry but the public registration occurred only after the twins were born.

The fertility doctors and obstetricians may not have been aware they were helping create the first genome-edited babies. A number of scientists were thanked by He Jiankui in the paper, yet now claim to no prior knowledge of his work or its extent. Furthermore, the hospital that is cited as where the experiment took place is denying it happened there.

Dr Kiran Musunuru, Associate Professor of cardiovascular medicine and genetics at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania concluded that 'It's time for the scientific community to fully understand what happened…and to avoid stumbling down a path toward further ill-starred experiments with clinical germline gene editing'. 

Sources and References

  • 03/12/2019
    MIT Technology Review
    China’s CRISPR babies: Read exclusive excerpts from the unseen original research
  • 04/12/2019
    The Guardian
    China gene-edited baby experiment 'may have created unintended mutations'
  • 04/12/2019
    The Telegraph
    Chinese gene-edited twins created to be immune to HIV may have 'unintended mutations'
  • 04/12/2019
    MedicineNet
    Scientists: Biophysicist Used CRISPR to Recklessly Gene-Edit Babies
  • 04/12/2019
    The Straits Times
    Scientists slam Chinese Crispr babies research after gene edits manuscript released

Related Articles

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
4 March 2022 • 2 minutes read

Jailed scientist Dr He Jiankui should be made 'responsible' for children whose genomes he edited

by Jakki Magowan

Two prominent Chinese bioethicists have recommend the jailed scientist, Dr He Jiankui, be made financially, morally and legally responsible for the health and wellbeing of the children he genome-edited...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
30 October 2020 • 2 minutes read

Study shows risks of using genome editing on embryos

by Julianna Photopoulos

A new study has concluded that using CRISPR-based genome editing on embryos makes unintended DNA changes that would be passed on to future generations...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
Comment
31 January 2020 • 4 minutes read

The aftermath of the He Jiankui fiasco: China's response

by Dr Patrick Foong

Dr He Jiankui, who claimed that the world's first babies had been born with edited genomes, has been sentenced to three years in prison and fined for performing 'illegal medical practices'...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
Comment
13 January 2020 • 4 minutes read

Beware of cheap imitations: justice and He Jiankui

by Julian Hitchcock

'Three babies, three scientists, three years in jail, and a three million yuan fine. This is the story of Dr He Jiankui and the world's first genome edited babies', wrote the philosopher Françoise Baylis in last week's Boston Globe....

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
3 January 2020 • 3 minutes read

Chinese scientist who created genome-edited babies jailed

by Dr Laura Riggall

Professor He Jiankui, the Chinese scientist who created the world’s first genome-edited babies, has been sentenced to three years in prison for violating medical regulations...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
22 November 2019 • 2 minutes read

Genome-edited babies may be justifiable says bioethicist

by Julianna Photopoulos

Genome-edited babies may be ethically justifiable, highly desirable and less than two years away according to a bioethicist at Abertay University in Dundee...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
9 August 2019 • 1 minute read

China approves ethics advisory group almost a year after CRISPR scandal

by Shaoni Bhattacharya

China has approved a national research ethics committee to advise its government, following the 'CRISPR-babies' scandal last year...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
5 July 2019 • 3 minutes read

Scientist lines up couples for genome-edited babies

by Shaoni Bhattacharya

A Russian scientist who announced his intention to create genome-edited babies last month, has now revealed details of his plan...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
30 November 2018 • 3 minutes read

China halts controversial 'genome-edited babies' research

by Rachel Siden

Authorities in China are moving to suspend the research activities of the scientists who claim to have modified the genomes of twin girls with CRISPR-Cas9...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
Comment
26 November 2018 • 3 minutes read

First genome-edited babies: a very different perception of ethics

by Dr Dusko Ilic

Back in 18th century, British physician Dr Edward Jenner tested his hypothesis that harmless cowpox can prevent deadly smallpox disease on a young boy in exchange for a few coins to his poor parents. In 2018, a Chinese researcher Dr He Jiankui tested geno

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« IVF clinics accused of 'embezzling' cash from desperate patients

Data-Label The UK's Leading Supplier Of Medical Labels & Asset Labels

RetiringDentist.co.uk The UK's Leading M&A Company.

Find out how you can advertise here
easyfundraising
amazon

This month in BioNews

  • Popular
  • Recent
8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Placenta and organ formation observed in mouse embryo models

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Lower hormone doses may improve IVF egg quality

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Boosting muscle cell production of gene therapy proteins

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

First UK medical guidelines issued for trans fertility preservation

1 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Male age has more impact on IVF birth rate than previously thought

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Placenta and organ formation observed in mouse embryo models

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Complex structures of the human heart bioengineered

8 August 2022 • 1 minute read

Brain tumour gene also linked to childhood cancers

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Lower hormone doses may improve IVF egg quality

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Boosting muscle cell production of gene therapy proteins

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
PET PET

PET is an independent charity that improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • BioNews
  • Events
  • Engagement
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us

BioNews

  • News
  • Comment
  • Reviews
  • Elsewhere
  • Topics
  • Glossary
  • Newsletters

Other

  • My Account
  • Subscribe

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856