China hands down prison terms to scientists who genetically altered babies

[Cal Jeffrey]

A hot potato: Last year, a team of Chinese scientists became the first to genetically engineer a human embryo. Now three of the researchers have been sentenced to jail time, fines, and medical bans by the Chinese government.

China-run news outlet Xinhua reports that He Jiankui has been sentenced to three years in prison for “illegal medical practices.” He was also fined 3 million yuan ($430,000) and received a lifetime ban from practicing reproductive medicine.

Two other members, Zhang Renli and Qin Jinzhou, were also charged and sentenced to two years plus one million yuan ($143,000) and 18 months with a 500,000 yuan ($71,000) fine, respectively. There were seven other co-authors on the paper, but it is unclear if officials are taking action against them.

He Jiankui made news in November 2018 when he came forward and revealed that his team had used a gene-modifying tool called CRISPR-Cas9 on a set of twins to alter the CCR5 gene to make the babies resistant to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. While the cause may have seemed noble, the government claims the actions were experimental and crossed moral and ethical boundaries since it amounted to human experimentation. The state quickly opened an investigation into the matter and later arrested He.

"The three accused did not have the proper certification to practice medicine, and in seeking fame and wealth, deliberately violated national regulations in scientific research and medical treatment," said the court ruling.

According to officials, several other unethical practices were uncovered during the probe, including an allegation that triplets rather than twins were involved in the genetic experiment. Additionally, the seven couples involved with the study were also reportedly told that they were part of an AIDS vaccine trial instead of gene manipulation, which, if true, makes the whole thing all the more unethical.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/83357-china-hands-down-prison-terms-scientists-who-genetically.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Is this really necessary?

I think we absolutely should use science to genetically engineer out genetic diseases and addictions.

It's actually important for humans to be as genetically diverse as possible which will happen with or without direct genetic engineering through selective breeding anyway - especially if we plan on colonizing other planets and space.

Same goes for food plants and animals. We can make even bigger, stronger super cows, chickens and pork to eliminate hunger.

 

[EClyde]

Musta used capitalistic genes

 

[bandit8623]

Is this really necessary?

I think we absolutely should use science to genetically engineer out genetic diseases and addictions.

It's actually important for humans to be as genetically diverse as possible which will happen with or without direct genetic engineering through selective breeding anyway - especially if we plan on colonizing other planets and space.

Same goes for food plants and animals. We can make even bigger, stronger super cows, chickens and pork to eliminate hunger.

Ur nutz. The reason for allergies and other problems with our food. Look at wheat that has been modified here in the USA causing gluten allergies. The wheat in Europe is not causing such problems (not modified).

You want to start modifying actual humans? We can't modify plants properly...

 

[noel24]

Who does He thinks He is to play God?

 

[avioza]

I'll bet the party is still monitoring the results closely and taking notes.

 

[Scshadow]

But did it work though? I mean if it works, then it works. Sure its a serious ethical dilemma if it works. Does the ends justify the Genes?

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Ur nutz. The reason for allergies and other problems with our food. Look at wheat that has been modified here in the USA causing gluten allergies. The wheat in Europe is not causing such problems (not modified).

You want to start modifying actual humans? We can't modify plants properly...

Did you completely ignore the words: genetic diversity?

I have no food allergies while others die from a peanut.

Guess who has a better chance of survival?

YES - many people WILL die. But the masses will live on with acquired immunity.

 

[ShagnWagn]

Is this really necessary?

I think we absolutely should use science to genetically engineer out genetic diseases and addictions.

It's actually important for humans to be as genetically diverse as possible which will happen with or without direct genetic engineering through selective breeding anyway - especially if we plan on colonizing other planets and space.

Same goes for food plants and animals. We can make even bigger, stronger super cows, chickens and pork to eliminate hunger.

You should watch the movie Gattaca. Is that the kind of world you would want to live in? No thanks.

It will happen to where some people can live forever, but not in this sinful world. There is one way to live forever - salvation through Christ.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

You should watch the movie Gattaca. Is that the kind of world you would want to live in? No thanks.

It will happen to where some people can live forever, but not in this sinful world. There is one way to live forever - salvation through Christ.

I've seen Gattaca several times.

#1 Your post assumes we don't already live in a world of Genetic Engineering - we do.

Most of the foodwe ate this year was Genetically modified

#2 The movie's writing was ridiculous on several levels. I won't go into detail here.

#3 It's coming whether you like it or not.

Embrace it.

 

[Danny101]

How nice! China found a moral ethical dilemma.

 

[Morris Minor]

Did you completely ignore the words: genetic diversity?

I have no food allergies while others die from a peanut.

Guess who has a better chance of survival?

YES - many people WILL die. But the masses will live on with acquired immunity.

"But ethicists say using it to alter the DNA of human embryos is inherently problematic. Not only will the desired genetic change be passed on to all the subject’s future offspring, but it is also impossible to know for sure what untended consequences the editing process might have."
the independent

 

[QuantumPhysics]

"But ethicists say using it to alter the DNA of human embryos is inherently problematic. Not only will the desired genetic change be passed on to all the subject’s future offspring, but it is also impossible to know for sure what untended consequences the editing process might have."
the independent

"but it is also impossible to know for sure what untended consequences the editing process might have."

That's what we live with with every single choice we make.

Let's PLAY GOD!!!

 

[Morris Minor]

You scare me

 

[Toju Mikie]

I think I remember seeing a few episodes of Star Trek where they talk about gene editing. On one of the episodes, some of the scientists created genetically altered humans, and the colony was almost destroyed in the process because there were some side effects.

The scientists in China shouldn't have done this. We may have a cure for HIV coming soon, which could make this genetic altering useless

There is still much we don't know yet. We should hold off on this part of bioengineering until we fully know what we are doing.

 

[Evernessince]

Did you completely ignore the words: genetic diversity?

I have no food allergies while others die from a peanut.

Guess who has a better chance of survival?

YES - many people WILL die. But the masses will live on with acquired immunity.

Evolution by the survival of the strongest genes hasn't been a thing in centuries for homo sapiens. Humans unlucky enough to be born with allergies, health pre-dispositions, ect can live and continue to propagate their genes thanks to advances in medical science. That and humans don't make breeding choices based on genetics solely. Often times money and power are larger factors. Kings, queens, and royals could have crippling disabilities and they'd still live longer then a peasant simply because their access to care was infinitely better.

History has proven that being poor is far more deadly then a majority of genetic conditions.

 

[captaincranky]

Well, whatever else you make of it, the experiment was kind of stupid.

First, the primary reason we don't experiment on humans, is the fact it takes too long to get the results. A "generation", is generally accepted yo be 20 years. (Of course in mt neighborhood it's somewhere around 12 to 14 years, give or take).

Assume the experiment is successful. You still have to allow the offspring to reach sexual maturity, then breed them with a known active carrier of the disease, and wait some more to find out whether or not in fact they are indeed immune.

OK, in the meantime, the HIV virus has gone through hundreds of generations and mutations. So how do you know it worked, when there's really no way of objectively knowing? The children may indeed be immune to the virus at the time of their conception, but still susceptible to the present strains.

I would think the most promising path to prevention is with vaccines. We just haven't found one yet.

However, the common influenza is quite tricky in this regard, Every year they brew up a vaccine for it, and every year they make the vaccine for either the wrong strain, or the virus mutates.

 

[captaincranky]

Often times money and power are larger factors. Kings, queens, and royals did have crippling disabilities, such as hemophilia, and they'd still live longer than a peasant (as long as they didn't get into sword fights), simply because their access to care was infinitely better.

FIXED..!

History has proven that being poor is far more deadly then a majority of genetic conditions.

Perhaps, but many of the genetic diseases different groups suffer from, is by virtue of inbreeding.

 

[captaincranky]

I think I remember seeing a few episodes of Star Trek where they talk about gene editing. On one of the episodes, some of the scientists created genetically altered humans, and the colony was almost destroyed in the process because there were some side effects.

OK, the saga continued in the feature film, "Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn".

If we're going to accept Star Trek parables as fact, consider the episode, "The Trouble with Tribbles". Kirk and company were off to deliver "carbs", to a starving planet. They were delivering a grain called, "quadro-triticaylene"

"Triticale", is a hybrid between wheat and rye. And "tetra" means 4, the same as "quadro" means 4.

OK, here's "triticale": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triticale

Common plants and animals are "diploid" (They have two chromosomes).

While tetraploid individuals, (usually found in plant hybrids), have four chromosomes.

Which means that the Enterprise, was delivering heavily genetically modified foodstuffs to the starving planet.

You can read about "ploidy" here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyploidy

There is still much we don't know yet. We should hold off on this part of bioengineering until we fully know what we are doing....[ ]....

Incidentally, the TV series, "Andromeda", flogged the whole concept of bio
-engineered humans to cancellation. The mythology was a subspecies of human was bred / engineered to be superior, and called Homo sapiens "invictus", and named after the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.

Tyr Anasazi

This article is about the character Tyr Anasazi. To view the article about the song, go here. "I am Tyr ... Anasazi of Kodiak Pride! Out of Victoria by Barborosa! And I ... will never .. surrender!"--Tyr Anasazi Tyr Anasazi of the Kodiak Pride, out of Victoria by Barbarossa, was a Nietzschean...

andromeda.fandom.com

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Evolution by the survival of the strongest genes hasn't been a thing in centuries for homo sapiens. Humans unlucky enough to be born with allergies, health pre-dispositions, ect can live and continue to propagate their genes thanks to advances in medical science. That and humans don't make breeding choices based on genetics solely. Often times money and power are larger factors. Kings, queens, and royals could have crippling disabilities and they'd still live longer then a peasant simply because their access to care was infinitely better.

History has proven that being poor is far more deadly then a majority of genetic conditions.

You are completely wrong about that.

Evolution isn't something that "just happens" in one shot.

Evolution includes all the genetic diversity we gain by just staying alive long enough to reproduce - carrying with each generation immunity to certain diseases, relationships to new medication...even the physical size of our bodies and the symbiotic relationship with certain bacteria in our guts.

I support Genetic engineering.

It's our duty to create the most genetically sophisticated humans possible.

 

[Uncle Al]

It continues to be a very controversial topic only made worse by the lack of guidance or laws to address the situation. We are already using gene modification in step cell research to cure all sorts of diseases like Cycle Cell Anemia .... a truly horrible disease. How should advance gene modification be treated differently than modification of stem cells?

I think the real bottom line needs to strongly consider the advantages to the human race and to mankind in general. Life is becoming more and more demanding and anything that can improve upon it sounds like a good idea. This isn't playing God, after all they are not creating life, they are simply modifying it for the better. Would you fault them if they were successful in modifications that eliminated cancer or any number of horrible afflictions created by ageing?

For those that want so badly to put a religious spin on their opinions I would only remind you that God created man and in his infinite wisdom he gave man a brain & knowledge to better himself and the world. While it hasn't always been great, it continues to be creative and it's up to us to decide the good and bad of it. The blending of science and religion is obvious to anyone that has an open mind and actually believes in the religion of their choosing .... oh yes, and let's not forget that the ability to choose came with that brain and everything that goes with it .....

 

[QuantumPhysics]

This isn't playing God, after all they are not creating life, they are simply modifying it for the better.

#1 It all depends, I guess, what people's definition of "life" is...

#2 It all depends on the laws of the government governing the scientific community.

The government is the antithesis of free market and free market economics and does everything in its power to hold back science and to stifle innovation.


I on the other hand want to see the reigns loosened and give science the chance to do its thing.

There's a lot of money to be made on AIDS and Cancer. Dying of either is a very expensive proposition. Now we have a way to ELIMINATE THEM and we get pushback?

From who?

Name them.

Publicly identify them.

Hopefully the free market will do its job to marginalize them or otherwise deal with them.

 

[ShagnWagn]

I've seen Gattaca several times.

#1 Your post assumes we don't already live in a world of Genetic Engineering - we do.

Most of the foodwe ate this year was Genetically modified

#2 The movie's writing was ridiculous on several levels. I won't go into detail here.

#3 It's coming whether you like it or not.

Embrace it.

#1 Incorrect. When you say world that means world - as in entire planet. The article is about humans anyway, not plants. If you want to go to plants, then how about all of the new health issues directly related to it? It is a bleak future and will get worse.

#2 I'm referencing the idea, not nitpick it. You know the point I was making.

#3 So you are trying to force this down my throat? Sounds like a liberal trying to force me into your personal ideals. Evil you are. Embrace freedom.

 

[Danny101]

How often have they fooled around with chemicals and then many years later found out it's causing cancer or some other kind of disease? And the results are always the same. Whoops our bad! We don't really understand WTF we're doing as we delve into biotech engineering. Spray and pray. We don't have a real understanding on the harm that frankenfoods are doing. The only success we can point to is "well, he isn't hungry!" As a person is gnarled up in a ball in the corner from cell damage after eating that crap.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

How often have they fooled around with chemicals and then many years later found out it's causing cancer or some other kind of disease? And the results are always the same. Whoops our bad! We don't really understand WTF we're doing as we delve into biotech engineering. Spray and pray. We don't have a real understanding on the harm that frankenfoods are doing. The only success we can point to is "well, he isn't hungry!" As a person is gnarled up in a ball in the from cell damage after eating that crap.

Overall trend of the human population is continuing to 8 Billion.

I see no issues.

Not every duckling makes it to the pond.