China confirms birth of gene-edited babies, blames scientist He Jiankui for breaking rules</s>The Chinese authorities are holding scientist He Jiankui wholly responsible for creating the world’s first gene-edited babies.

He had announced their birth in November, after which the authorities announced an investigation into the matter.

A team of investigators told the official Xinhua news agency on Monday that a preliminary investigation had concluded that He had “organised a project team that included foreign staff, which intentionally avoided surveillance and used technology of uncertain safety and effectiveness to perform human embryo gene-editing activity with the purpose of reproduction, which is officially banned in the country”.

Between March 2017 and November 2018, He forged ethical review papers and recruited eight couples to participate in his experiment, resulting in two pregnancies.

Chinese scientist He Jiankui says he is proud of genetic experiments



One of the mothers gave birth to twins nicknamed “Lulu” and “Nana”, the investigators said. Another woman is still carrying a gene-edited fetus.

They also said that He, his staff and organisations related to his project would be punished according to laws and regulations.

The Guangdong government will keep the twins under medical observation.</s>After rocking the scientific community by helping to create ‘AIDS-resistant’ children using banned gene-editing techniques, Chinese investigators have confirmed that Dr He Jiankui will be punished for his experiment.

“This behavior seriously violates ethics and the integrity of scientific research, is in serious violation of relevant national regulations, and creates a pernicious influence at home and abroad,” a report by Chinese state news agency Xinhua stated.

The scientist made headlines across the world in 2018 by claiming to have helped make the world’s first gene-edited babies, flouting scientific consensus regarding the ethical implications of manipulating genes that would have intergenerational and somewhat unknown consequences.

The investigating team set up by the Health Commission of China in southern Guangdong province found that He had self-funded and privately organized a team to carry out the procedure using CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing techniques to “seek personal fame and profit,” according to the report.

He reportedly assembled a team that included foreign staff, all of whom intentionally evaded surveillance and used “technology of uncertain safety and effectiveness to perform human embryo gene-editing activity with the purpose of reproduction, which is officially banned in the country.”

Authorities also confirmed that He forged an ethical review between March 2017 and November 2018, and recruited eight couples to participate in the experiments, two of which achieved fertilization; twins Lulu and Nana are currently under observation by Chinese medical experts, while another embryo has yet to be born.

In the aftermath of the initial announcement, there was widespread condemnation of He’s actions among the scientific and broader international communities. Gene editing for reproductive purposes is effectively banned in the US, most of Europe and many other nations around the world, including China.

READ MORE: ‘Chinese Frankenstein’ missing? Whereabouts of scientist who created gene-edited babies unknown

He defended his actions at a conference in Hong Kong last November, stating that he was “proud” of what he had done, doubling down by stating that he had helped protect the twin girls from possible infection with HIV later in life.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!</s>Chinese investigators say the doctor behind the reported birth of two babies whose genes had been edited in the hope of making them resistant to the Aids virus acted on his own, according to a state media report.

Chinese investigators say the doctor behind the reported birth of two babies whose genes had been edited in the hope of making them resistant to the Aids virus acted on his own, according to a state media report.

Doctor behind ‘gene-edited babies’ acted on his own, says China

Investigators in the southern province of Guangdong determined that Dr He Jiankui organised and handled funding for the experiment without outside assistance in violation of national guidelines, the Xinhua News Agency said.

Along with the birth of the twins, another embryo yet to be born reportedly resulted from Dr He’s experiment.

All three will remain under medical observation, with regular visits supervised by government health departments, Xinhua said.

It did not say which laws Dr He might have violated but said he had fabricated an ethical review by others and will be punished for any violations of the law.

“This behaviour seriously violates ethics and the integrity of scientific research, is in serious violation of relevant national regulations and creates a pernicious influence at home and abroad,” the report said.

Then little-known, Dr He attended an elite meeting in Berkeley, California, in 2017 where scientists and ethicists were discussing a technology that had shaken the field to its core – an emerging tool for “editing” genes, the strings of DNA that form the blueprint of life.

He embraced the tool, called CRISPR, and last year rocked an international conference with the claim that he had helped make the world’s first gene-edited babies, despite a clear scientific consensus that making genetic changes that could be passed to future generations should not be attempted at this point.

China called an immediate halt to Dr He’s experiments following his announcement.

Gene editing for reproductive purposes is effectively banned in the US and most of Europe.

In China, ministerial guidelines prohibit embryo research that “violates ethical or moral principles”.

The chief of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said last year his agency is assembling experts to consider the health impact of gene editing.

Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said gene editing “cannot be just done without clear guidelines” and experts should “start from a clean sheet and check everything”.

“We have a big part of our population who say, ‘Don’t touch’,” Mr Tedros told reporters.

“We have to be very, very careful, and the working group will do that.”</s>A Chinese investigation into reports of the world's first gene-edited babies seems to have confirmed their existence, and investigators say the scientist responsible acted on his own and will be punished for any violations of law.

China's official news agency said Monday that investigators in Guangdong province determined that the scientist, He Jiankui (HUH JEEN-qway), for the sake of fame evaded supervision of his work and violated research norms. It did not say what laws or regulations he may have broken.

The scientist stunned the world in November by claiming that he had altered the DNA of twin girls at conception to try to help them resist infection with the AIDS virus.

The claim has been widely criticized as medically risky and unethical. A second pregnancy also reportedly is underway.

FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2018, file photo, He Jiankui is reflected in a glass panel as he works at a computer at a laboratory in Shenzhen in southern China's Guangdong province. A Chinese investigation says Chinese scientist He, behind the reported birth of two babies whose genes had been edited in hopes of making them resistant to the AIDS virus, acted on his own and will be punished for any violations of the law. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

FILE - In this Oct. 9, 2018, file photo, a microplate containing embryos that have been injected with Cas9 protein and PCSK9 sgRNA is seen in a laboratory in Shenzhen in southern China's Guangdong province. A Chinese investigation says Chinese scientist He Jiankui, behind the reported birth of two babies whose genes had been edited in hopes of making them resistant to the AIDS virus, acted on his own and will be punished for any violations of the law. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)</s>Chinese officials this week denounced the actions of a scientist who claims his lab made the world’s first genetically edited babies.

As reported by the Xinhua News Agency, researcher He Jiankui defied government bans and conducted the experiment “in pursuit of personal fame and gain.”

An investigation by the Guangdong Province Task Force suggests that He intentionally dodged supervision, raising funds and organizing lab techs to carry out the human embryo revision that is “explicitly banned” by regulations, Xinhua said.

In late November, He announced the birth of twin girls whose DNA was modified to protect against future HIV infection.

The project allegedly dates back to June 2016, when He began organizing a team (which included overseas members).

According to results of the investigation, He used a fake ethical review certificate to lure eight volunteer couples for procedures between March 2017 and November 2018.

Most famously, parents Grace and Mark welcomed “two beautiful Chinese girls” last month.

Grace began her pregnancy via in vitro fertilization (IVF)—but with a twist: After inseminating her eggs, an embryologist sent in “a little bit of protein,” plus instructions for a gene surgery intended to protect the girls from future HIV infection.

The news set the scientific community alight: an angry mob of researchers carried proverbial pitchforks and torches, calling He’s conduct unethical—a feeling echoed by the independent committee assigned to investigate the incident.

“The activities seriously violated ethical principles and scientific integrity and breached relevant regulations of China,” the probe said, as reported by Xinhua.

The Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, from which the scientist was on non=paid leave from teaching through January 2021, made it very clear the project was conducted off campus and without official approval.

On Monday, the institution released a statement announcing that, effective immediately, SUSTech “will rescind the work contract with Dr. He Jiankui and terminate any of his teaching and research activities.”

He—apparently MIA since making an appearance at the second International Summit on Human Genome Editing in early December—as well as other relevant personnel and organizations, are expected to face undisclosed punishment for their actions.

The babies and pregnant volunteer, meanwhile, will receive medical observation and follow-up visits.
• None Can This Gene-Edited Wild Plant Become the Next Strawberry?</s>Chinese investigators have determined that the doctor behind the reported birth of two babies whose genes had been edited in hopes of making them resistant to the AIDS virus acted on his own and will be punished for any violations of the law, a state media report said Monday.Investigators in the southern province of Guangdong determined Dr. He Jiankui organized and handled funding for the experiment without outside assistance in violation of national guidelines, the Xinhua News Agency said.Along with the birth of the twins, another embryo yet to be born reportedly resulted from He's experiment. All three will remain under medical observation with regular visits supervised by government health departments, Xinhua said.It didn't say which laws He might have violated but said he had fabricated an ethical review by others."This behavior seriously violates ethics and the integrity of scientific research, is in serious violation of relevant national regulations and creates a pernicious influence at home and abroad," the report said.China called an immediate halt to He's experiments following his announcement.Gene editing for reproductive purposes is effectively banned in the U.S. and most of Europe. In China, ministerial guidelines prohibit embryo research that "violates ethical or moral principles."The chief of the World Health Organization said last year his agency is assembling experts to consider the health impact of gene editing.WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said gene editing "cannot be just done without clear guidelines" and experts should "start from a clean sheet and check everything.""We have a big part of our population who say, 'Don't touch,'" Tedros told reporters. "We have to be very, very careful, and the working group will do that."</s>Chinese authorities answered one of the lingering questions in the case of rogue scientist He Jiankui on Monday by confirming the twin girls he claims to have genetically edited as embryos were born and are currently under medical supervision.

He Jiankui rocked the medical community, and enraged Chinese officials, by announcing in November that he modified the DNA of the twins to make them immune to the HIV virus carried by their father. Monday’s announcement was the first official confirmation of He’s claim that the girls were born alive and healthy.

The South China Morning Post on Monday reported concerns for both the safety of the children and the future of the human race:

A biologist, who asked not to be identified, said: “This is a result I’m happy to see,” he said. ”This should be the way. There needs to be protection of the babies too.” He said he had also researched gene-editing but all experiments were done on lab rats only. In an interview with Beijing Youth Daily on Sunday, Shao Feng, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and deputy director of the National Institute of Biological Sciences, said the whole incident would need to be investigated thoroughly. “If I were to handle the matter, I would never tell [the twins] they’ve been gene-edited and allow them to live their lives like normal people,” he said. “I think that’s for the best.” An expert in the field, Shao is worried about potential health risks the children will face as well as the incident’s effect on the human race. “Once the gate of gene-editing is wide open, the human race will be finished,” he said. “The technology is strong but the terrifying fact is that anyone slightly trained in a lab can perform it.”

He Jiankui may or may not be under house arrest at the university that employs him, but his work is clearly under intense investigation, and all of his projects have been suspended. In addition to the troubling questions about genetic engineering raised by his work, he has been accused of violating ethical standards, including a challenge to his claim that he submitted the gene-editing project to review by a hospital ethics committee before proceeding.

Investigators in Guangdong province stated on Monday that He acted alone, evading oversight by privately raising funds for the project, and will be punished for violating unspecified laws.

“This behavior seriously violates ethics and the integrity of scientific research, is in serious violation of relevant national regulations and creates a pernicious influence at home and abroad,” said the authorities.</s>Chinese authorities appear to have confirmed a scientist’s unpublished claim that he helped make the world’s first gene-edited babies and that a second pregnancy is underway, and say he could face consequences for his work.

China’s official Xinhua News Agency said Monday that investigators in Guangdong province determined that the scientist, He Jiankui (HUH JEEN-qway), evaded supervision of his work and violated research norms because he wanted to be famous.

The report said He acted alone and will be punished for any violations of the law, although it didn’t say which regulations he may have broken.

The scientist stunned the world in November by claiming that he had altered the DNA of twin girls at conception to try to help them resist infection with the AIDS virus.

He’s work has been widely criticized as unethical because of questions about whether the participants truly understood the risks.

It is also considered medically dangerous because of possible harm to other genes and the DNA changes can be passed to future generations.

There has been no independent verification of his claim, first reported by The Associated Press, and it has not yet been published, although He gave details at an international gene editing conference in Hong Kong.

Some have even speculated that it could be a hoax.

But the Chinese investigation appears to confirm it.

The Xinhua report says the twins and those involved in the second pregnancy will remain under medical observation with regular visits supervised by government health departments.

“It does sound like they have confirmed the existence of the babies,” said Dr. Kiran Musunuru, a genetics journal editor from the University of Pennsylvania who reviewed materials He provided at the AP’s request.

Given that the Chinese investigation alleged ethical lapses, He’s work might not be published by a scientific journal, but “the information needs to be made available so we know exactly what was done,” Musunuru said. “It could be as simple as putting it on the web.”

The scientist, He, could not be reached for comment.

It’s unclear how many edited embryos remain from He’s experiment and what will become of them.

He’s school, Southern University of Science and Technology of China in Shenzhen, and the Chinese ministries of health and science also have said they are investigating and have put a halt to his work.

Gene editing for reproductive purposes is effectively banned in the U.S. and most of Europe.

In China, ministerial guidelines prohibit embryo research that “violates ethical or moral principles.”</s>China Says Claim Of Gene-Edited Babies 'Seriously Violated' Regulations

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Associated Press reporter Marilynn Marchione about the Chinese government's investigation into He Jiankui, who claims he created the world's first gene-edited babies.

An update now on the Chinese scientist who shocked the world last fall when he claimed that he'd created the world's first genetically modified babies. Chinese state media reported today that a government investigation has found that He Jiankui seriously violated state regulations. And today, his university released a statement saying he'd been fired. Scientists around the world have condemned his work, with many saying his experiment was reckless and crossed ethical boundaries.

For more, we're joined by Marilynn Marchione. She is chief medical writer for The Associated Press. She was among the first to report this story and has been following developments. Marilynn, welcome to the program.

MARILYNN MARCHIONE: Hi. Thanks very much.

CORNISH: So first, what do you make of today's announcement from Chinese authorities that this scientist broke the rules?

MARCHIONE: Well, I think it's clear that - from the world's reaction to his work that he violated some societal norms for what he did. But what was significant to us, and a bit of a surprise, was that the report appears to give credence to the fact that these babies actually do exist.

There's been a lot of doubt because the work has not been published. The couple - the supposed parents of these babies was not able to be interviewed. So we have been wondering and looking for proof that this really, indeed, occurred, and the investigation appears to have confirmed that.

CORNISH: So help us understand. Is it clear what state regulations he's accused of violating?

MARCHIONE: Well, it is very unclear whether it's state or federal or just exactly what rules or regulations there are. The ones that we have looked at and that others have flagged to us seem to have been adopted around the time when human cloning was more in the news and that was a big concern and risk. We're not aware of anything that directly addresses embryo gene-editing, which is what this was.

CORNISH: In the meantime, he hasn't been out in public since he presented his work, right? And that was at a conference in Hong Kong two months ago. Does anyone know what's happened to him?

MARCHIONE: Well, I spoke just this morning with a Stanford bioethicist who has been in almost weekly contact with Dr. He ever since the conference. And he says that the guards at the apartment and the university where Dr. He is living are there out of mutual agreement, that there have been nasty emails, and there were some efforts - many efforts to contact Dr. He.

CORNISH: So it's a kind of house-arrest story. What are we talking about here?

MARCHIONE: It sounds like that. It's really hard to describe because his own university has not responded to inquiries. There are others who have investigations under the way - his university in Shenzhen. Also, the Chinese Ministry of Science and Health, I believe, still got an investigation open. This is a local province - the local authorities, who have issued the first statement on this.

CORNISH: When this story was first reported, there was a kind of conversation about whether or not laws in China around this kind of research were somehow more lax than in other parts of the world. What does this response that we're hearing in Chinese media tell us, if anything, about how the Chinese government views all this?

MARCHIONE: Well, I spoke this morning with Alta Charo, who is a very prominent bioethicist from the University of Wisconsin. And she said this morning that the statement from the investigation actually was quite reassuring - that it suggests that there is a system of regulatory controls in China that can be brought to bear on any effort to prematurely use gene-editing technology and that that might be a better way to regulate this field than an outright ban.

CORNISH: What happens to the babies now? And what happens - I believe there was a report that there was a woman who participated who is now pregnant.

MARCHIONE: Well, that's something that was kind of a revelation, again, in the report that we had today from the local authorities. They say that the twins will be followed by Chinese government authorities, health authorities and that the second pregnancy, also, will be monitored and followed.

So this confirms both things that Dr. He has reported. It's unknown how many embryos are left. He did make more than what had been reported to have been used, and it's unclear where they are now or what will happen to them.

CORNISH: Marilynn Marchione is chief medical writer for The Associated Press. Thank you for sharing your reporting with us.
China confirms the 2018 birth of the world's first genetically edited babies, Lulu and Nana, saying He Jiankui forged ethical review papers and organised a project team with foreign staff, which intentionally avoided surveillance, and that He and his staff will be punished according to laws and regulations. The Guangdong government will keep the twins under medical observation with the support of the national departments.