|
 He Jiankui, associate professor at Southern University of Science
and Technology in Shenzhen, attracted condemnation from the global
scientific community when he said he had used a technology known as
CRISPR-Cas9 to alter the embryonic genes of twin girls born in
November.
Chinese authorities launched an investigation into He's work and
said they had halted the kind of research he was undertaking.
Under the draft laws sent to China's legislature for review on
Saturday, medical and human trials would face closer scrutiny and
stricter requirements, such as ensuring human subjects are properly
briefed, state media outlet Xinhua reported.
The rules would also require all future trials to be approved by
administrative authorities as well as ethical committees, it said.
[to top of second column] |
The report did not specify a timeline for the approval of the
regulations, or make specific mention of He's research.
In videos posted online and at the November 2018 conference where He
made his controversial presentation, He said he believed his gene
editing would help protect the girls from infection with HIV, the
virus that causes AIDS.
Chinese authorities and institutions, as well as hundreds of
international scientists, condemned him and said any application of
gene editing on human embryos for reproductive purposes was against
the law and medical ethics of China.
(Reporting by Cate Cadell; Editing by Helen Popper)
[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content. |
