Just few days ago, on twenty-sixth of this month, It was revealed via the coverage of the Associate Press that a researcher, named He Jiankui, a associate professor of The Southern University of Science an Technology helped make the first gene-edited baby in the word. And the baby’s DNA were altered by disabling a gene, called CCR5 through a tool, CRISPR-cas9. What’s more, a pair of twin girls were born earlier this month.
They insisted that the project is aimed at give the child the ability of being immune to the infection of HIV, and the girls can get benefit from it.
But, actually, the fact is not like that at all. We can find the following four evidence which shows they are totally carrying out an experiment on human, and the babies is the victim rather than beneficiary.
(1) One of the embryos had only one copy of the intended gene altered, and another one both copies were not altered, which means they gained nothing in terms of protection of HIV.
(2) The Subtype of the HIV in china is more likely to get into a cell through the protein doorway controlled by the gene CXCR4 rather than CCR5.Since that, the babies lacking gene CCR5 still have the chance to get infected with HIV.
(3) The accuracy of the tool they used is uncertain, other hundreds of genes may be altered in the meantime of editing the intended gene CCR5.
(4) The gene CCR5 is important. Lack of CCR5 may cause the baby died from unpredictable diseases, such as flue.
The Associate Press gave the comment that it would be a profound leap of science and ethics, and the emphasis was on taking a text of editing on human, rather than avoiding the disease.
As I see it , it is totally an experimentation on human, and fully ignored the morality and ethics and even the law.