Ford Vox write a Chinese scientist’s claim of successfully editing the genes of twin girls is shocking for its secrecy, its needlessness and what it says about the culture of medical research in China.
And since scientists can easily generate an RNA pair for any sequence of DNA (the underlying biological code in each human cell), CRISPR has the potential to cure countless genetic diseases.
But the CRISPR technique isn’t perfect, and in every few hundred cases, in what is referred to as “off-target events,” it can edit the wrong portion of DNA, potentially creating unwanted mutations.
Less controversial trials are already underway involving humans after birth. This kind of gene editing revises somatic cells, the kind that are not passed on to our offspring.
But when a scientist edits the genes in an embryo prior to implantation into the womb, the germ line is altered. That means the laboratory edits could be passed along to all subsequent generations springing forth from this individual.
Germline editing is highly controversial but has been theoretically condoned under a range of strict criteria and regulations — all of which include complete transparency within the experimental trial. (The one exception being the details of identification for the participants, which may be kept secret.)
Which is to say, no one wanted this kind of trial done in secret. But secrecy is exactly what the Chinese scientist appears to have chosen. He did not publicly announce his plans to conduct the trial or allow for the scientific community to debate its merits before announcing his findings this week.
And, in that secrecy, Dr. He Jiankui of Shenzen’s Southern University of Science and Technology went forward with an ethically flawed research plan, choosing to edit the gene CCR5, so that it was no longer functional. People without working CCR5 genes are more resistant to HIV infection. The researchers targeted couples in which one partner has HIV, offering the hope they can give birth to an HIV-free and HIV-resistant child.
In the case of the former, it’s already possible to prevent HIV transmission via sperm washing and assisted fertilization.
