On November 28 morning 12:47, because of " gene edits a baby " the He Jiankui that arouses tremendous controversy publishs open speech in Hong Kong university. Before this, the media coverage such as people net says, the gene of first immune AIDS edits the world baby (dew shows He Nana, twin) already was born at was in Shenzhen this year in November, still say, "Mean China to edit a technology to be used at the disease to prevent a domain to achieve historic breakthrough in gene " . Subsequently, this project arouses a lot of people acuteness and anxious with object strongly. 122 scientists sign statement to undertake publicity condemning:
The biology medicine ethics of this alleged research is examined exist in name only. Have human body test directly, can use mad appearance only. CRISPR gene edits problem of miss the target to be not solved, any attempts that be transformed into pedestrian embryo directly and try to produce a baby are put in huge risk. This technology can be done early, without any innovation, but biology medicine scientists of the whole world are not done, dare not do, it is other and the uncertainty because of miss the target, huge risk and more important ethics.
This experiment also violated the relevant regulation of our country apparently. Ministry of science and technology and former Ministry of Public Health allotted jointly 2003 " human embryo does a cell to study ethical rudder " in specific provision: "The person bursa embryo that already must not use those who obtain at research is embedded the reproductive system of person or other animal " . Announced 2012 " regulation of human heredity resource " in, chinese government also to collecting, preservation and the know the inside story in using process of human heredity resource agree to waited for great principle to make specific provision. Ministry of science and technology is newest 2017 " biology technology considers to develop safety administration idea " in clear also will " involve existence the human gene of significant risk edits the research that waits for gene project to develop an activity " label Gao Feng risk grade, ask orgnaization of each scientific research undertakes administrative strictly.
Relevant orgnaization also phonates in succession, have a response to this incident.
Compatriots is fond of contention all along each " the first " , we can see in the tourist attraction one various, "The world the first spring " " the world the first Buddha " ... indeed, we are brave in to participate in competition, contend for each in the world the first it is the important step that wins ethical sense of pride, also be one of power that urge us to develop. Just, some the first, do not want.
Because be opposite,we object gene editing a baby is not the fear of new technology, because be anxious to what progress scientificly,also not be, what we object is in the technology safety and ethical morality exist below the circumstance of the problem, rushed undertake experimenting having violating scientific spirit, below the premise that does not become direct ratio apparently in risk and earning for individual reputation rushed take real person to do a test, exceed a bottom line, not acceptability also cannot accept.
The application of a technology, involve the new technology of human life safety especially, must experiment through relapsing, must pass safe test and verify, in ensure the ability below the circumstance of absolute safety throws application formally. Gene edits a technology, animal experiment is still unwarrantable avoid 100 percent " miss the target " , apply at human body directly, do this follow the life health that taking the child to have again for fun why to distinguish? More terrible is influence of editor of this kind of gene not these two people that be confined to participates in a project, influential to all their unborn metropolises. How is authority of know the inside story ensured again?
Additional, notice two babies that participate in an experiment come from home remedy to have the family of AIDS, they or it is life place approach, or it is to come from pair of offspring to suffer from go up of AIDS anxious, choice so did. In view of this, are they right is sex of the security of this experiment, risk complete know the inside story? Can't help letting a person remember " venom: Deadly the person that guard " the case in, villain in drama uses the tramp of unmanned attention to do human body test, trick them to participate in venom to combine a test, a lot of people are right what will suffer not know the inside story.
After two children that gene has been edited are grown, if the body appears problem, who will be in charge of? Even if they be able to lucky health is grown, they also will live below spotlight, every time cold, every time has a fever, every time falls ill, can be observed seriously by that group, record, what distinction do they and small white rat have?
More important is, representing what they agree to participate in an experiment is their guardian, they were stripped actually as party the right that rejects to participate in an experiment, their body is safe they have no right the palm accuses, this is an absurdity, after be brought up they this how him look upon, how will hind of know the inside story get along with their parents again?
Another dot, too ultra on new technology application enter a meeting to affect the people faith to new technology. "In one day is bitten by the snake, be afraid of well rope 10 years " , once this the experiment fails, the person that opposes this technology advancing is met only increasing. We must respect science, esteem ethics.
So, the action that we want to be opposite this kind to challenge ethical bottom line for individual reputation says aloud not!
Add: He Jiankui is right " gene edits a baby " the response of crucial question
Why to choose CCR5 gene?
HIV is in very multilateral home is disease of a deadly sex, can let a lot of children that did not affect face life risk, be in China also is such. To CCR5 we had studied a few years, did a lot of clinical tests. CCR5 gene cuts the entrance as the first, have simple intelligible characteristic. We are studying the process is medium, had understood the possibility that whether is reserved in potential infection, and undertake fixed virus examination comes assure safe experiment.
Of course, I object using gene editor to have promotion to functional sex of the person.
How recruit experiment object?
AIDS volunteer group is in charge of this recruit.
How many person has read know the inside story to agree with a book?
Besides my group, have 4 people probably, include this pair of husband and wife, one comes from American professor and a professor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, they had looked.
Before we begin a project, went seeing a few scientists and doctor above all, affirmatory CCR5 is to be able to be used at this experiment, inchoate test data also supported this one point of view. Can go up in a few scientific summits later, received positive feedback, early rise test data, also get the support of the college professor such as Stanford, so we with respect to proceed.
Why be born till the child, does the public just know the existence of this research?
A lot of people had asked such question. The parents that contracts HIV virus needs our help with these children, we need to help 1 million people that affect potential disease possibly, if we have such technology, can help more person. Above all this is an open and transparent research, I also am willing to share my research with the society, the society can decide to consider how to should be done next.
Understand the responsibility to these two children about future
I had seen the wretch that suffers AIDS infection civilian, they should raise the child to others even will avoid to be affected in growing process. So we choose to prevent this one risk when the child is born, sequel will undertake cure and dog. Our meeting bend does his best raise these two children, responsible to next their half a lifetime.
Whether can you make public the identity of two children?
Publishing these information break the law, chinese law does not allow us to be done so.
Of research aid financially origin?
Most when beginning to consider, I most the professor that begins to serve as an university participates research, the foundation that early days studies comes from at university lab, I undertake study later.
Whether the company participates research, whether does your company participate research?
My company was not participated in, no matter be,participate research, do not have.
Is the person aided financially to whether be put in interest exchange related the company?
This is done not have.
How does your group provide the medical treatment safeguard of these two children?
Each minutes of money that we have a lot of systems to ensure this studies can be used on body of these two children.
This thing disobeys people desire, why to want to study secretly?
I am a of scientific group all the time, we ever obtained these data the feedback of scientific group, so we feel should further experiment, we and United States and Chinese person of the same trade had been talked about.
Sister of this pair of twin, whether can prospective life differ treat? Whether are their life and family met influential?
We must want to consider the issue besides learning, we must want to have different value idea. We do not plan to use any tools to control their future, the child has contain power, their meeting grows naturally, want those who allow them to have a choice to have oneself, should let children the latent capacity of oneself gets developing, pursue oneself life and happiness.
They are dot, have impossibly abstain truly, the environment that the child grows is very important, if they were not behaved differently, how can parents look them?
I do not know how to should reply.
Whether had you expected so much controversy?
The existence of these two children, it is the message is divulged. The earliest I am to want to be in child growing process, pass information scholar of United States flower, let they and Chinese person of the same trade discuss, but information is divulged now, did not predict so much controversy.
If these two children are your child, can you do such test?
If be my child, I also encounter similar case, I can take the lead in experiment.
Vivid Sun Jianmin of author ｜ worldly interest
