CRISPR scientist who made gene-edited babies sentenced to 3 years in prison:
The scientist who claimed to have created the first gene-edited human babies was fined around $430,000 and sentenced to three years in prison by a Chinese court on Monday, according to Chinese state media. He Jiankui was reportedly convicted of conducting an "illegal medical practice."
A court in Shenzhen reportedly found He, along with two colleagues, violated Chinese regulations and ethics by editing twin embryos' DNA. Authorities also found his team fabricated regulatory paperwork, according to state news agency Xinhua. He and his colleagues reportedly pleaded guilty to the charges.
He was condemned by the scientific community for using the gene-editing technology CRISPR to alter the gene CCR5, which HIV utilizes when infecting humans.
Previously:
One of CRISPR's Inventors Calls for Controls on Gene-Editing Technology
Russian Biologist Plans to Pursue CRISPR-Edited Babies Targeting Same Gene (CCR5) as He Jiankui Did
China's CRISPR Babies Could Face Earlier Death
China Confirms That He Jiankui Illegally Edited Human Embryo Genomes
Chinese Scientist Who Allegedly Created the First Genome-Edited Babies is Reportedly Being Detained
Chinese Gene-Editing Scientist's Project Rejected for WHO Database (Plus: He Jiankui is Missing)
Furor Over Genome-Edited Babies Claim Continues (Updated)
Chinese Scientist Claims to Have Created the First Genome-Edited Babies (Twins)
(Score: 3, Interesting) by takyon on Wednesday January 01 2020, @07:05AM (2 children)
Jiankui-lǎoshī flirted with Western scientists and media. Some of the scientists didn't know what was going on or at least pretended not to. But one of the media outlets ratted him out for clicks (MIT Technology News, IIRC).
CCR5 was a dumb choice and the justification was too easily debunked. That helped to fuel the fire.
"World's first gene-edited babies" was always going to be a sensational headline. But he might have been able to avoid this (light?) punishment by not trying to construct a PR blitz in advance. I'm pretty sure his handlers don't care that he lied, just that he got caught.
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 01 2020, @04:18PM (1 child)
Punishment should be having to bring up the kids he modified, and see them up close in all their glory every single day.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday January 01 2020, @05:02PM
Those kids are going to be hidden away from the world, at least until adulthood. Scientists will be studying them but I doubt He ever will. They also have two biological parents already.
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