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China gene-editing scientist's project rejected for WHO database (original)
A Chinese branch of the World Health Organization has withdrawn an application to register He Jiankui's project in its clinical database. The move comes after China's government halted He's work, saying it would take a "zero tolerance attitude in dealing with dishonorable behavior" in research.
He has faced a global backlash after claiming to have produced the world's first gene-edited babies in a bid to make them HIV-resistant. The project drew international criticism for its lack of transparency, with health officials and other scientists concerned that it raises ethical questions that will taint other work in the field.
The application to enter the database of the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry was rejected because "the original applicants cannot provide the individual participants' data for reviewing," according to the registry's website.
[...] He's whereabouts are still unknown. Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily cited unnamed sources earlier this month that the researcher was put on house arrest by his university, Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, but representatives of the university and He's lab both declined to comment.
takyon: Several news organizations reported on Dec. 3 that He Jiankui was missing.
Previously: Chinese Scientist Claims to Have Created the First Genome-Edited Babies (Twins)
Furor Over Genome-Edited Babies Claim Continues (Updated)
(Score: 5, Interesting) by mobydisk on Tuesday December 11 2018, @07:48PM (13 children)
What if the problem is that this guy isn't actually the first to implant CRISPR-edited children? Maybe China has been doing this for years. That would open up some alternate explanations:
Maybe he didn't know there was a secret project, and by revealing his project he risks exposing the secret project.
Maybe he was working on a secret government gene editing project, and had his own side-project ambitions. When he announced his side-project, he risked exposing the government project. Maybe he took credit for someone else's work, but now the government can't admit that without revealing their own project.
Or maybe he revealed the secret government project, but lied saying that it was his project and that they were making HIV-tolerant children when it was really something else.
Or maybe he did exactly what he was supposed to do, and this is playing out in public the way China intended it to. Maybe this person doesn't even really exist and it is a pseudonym.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday December 11 2018, @08:01PM (5 children)
I don't think they're doing that or that it would be very beneficial at this time. But if you want to beef up your conspiracy theory I would add this:
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/5gw8vn/chinas-taking-over-the-world-with-a-massive-genetic-engineering-program [vice.com]
https://singularityhub.com/2013/03/19/chinas-bgi-to-sequence-2200-geniuses-in-search-for-smart-genes/ [singularityhub.com]
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/china-engineering-genius-babies_n_2949121 [huffpost.com]
https://www.nature.com/news/chinese-project-probes-the-genetics-of-genius-1.12985 [nature.com]
https://www.geneticsandsociety.org/biopolitical-times/chinese-scientists-genius-genes-and-future-genomics [geneticsandsociety.org]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1) by Sulla on Tuesday December 11 2018, @08:45PM (4 children)
Where do stereotypes come from? Why does the west generally think of Asians as short? I live near a college town with a large population of Chinese students, and none of them are short. I am 6'1" and the Chinese I come across when walking downtown are my height or taller, this would not give rise to a stereotype of shortness.
Some possibilities.. Impossible that the Chinese have been doing gene editing for the past 18 years, but maybe they restrict who is able to go outside of China for education for the purpose of giving a different image of China (physical prowess). It is known that the Chinese participate in breeding programs to get more athletic kids (olympics) so maybe this is an offshoot of that.
Just find it odd how much taller the Chinese seem than the stereotypes suggest.
---
After writing the above I checked the wiki on average height
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_average_human_height_worldwide [wikipedia.org]
China is listed at 5'1.5" so I dunno.
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday December 11 2018, @08:47PM (2 children)
Chinese students in America are likely to be richer than the average Chinese. Their families could have afforded milk and other nutritious stuff when they were growing up.
But I haven't really seen a rash of tall Chinese students wandering around. Maybe your evidence is merely anecdotal?
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(Score: 4, Insightful) by bob_super on Tuesday December 11 2018, @10:08PM (1 child)
Anecdotally, taking the subway in Taipei, at not even 6 feet, I tower over most people over 40, but people in their teens/twenties are often the same height as westerners.
I do believe that nutrition changes (good and bad) as the place got much richer are resulting in quickly catching up in height, faster than genetic processes would allow. Should get exacerbated when those taller people start having children.
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Tuesday December 11 2018, @10:32PM
When I was a kid, I played rugby against the Patumahoe School rugby team.
Their front row was made up of three Chinese brothers whose great-great-grandfathers came over here to mine gold, then became market gardeners when the gold ran out.
Huge dudes, because they ate a nutritious western diet and worked on their family farms.
You really did not want to have to tackle them either. Like running into a sackful of spanners.
(Score: 1) by Sulla on Tuesday December 11 2018, @08:49PM
I read that wrong, was looking at the column for female height. Still seems odd because the Chinese women i see around are very tall.
Chinese average height appears to be different by location in China, possibly due to wealth. The non-location distinct "China" is said to be 5'8".
Ceterum censeo Sinae esse delendam
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Tuesday December 11 2018, @08:05PM
Recall the Mao Suit.
IIRC evolution would result in ever smaller Chinese citizens, eventually leading the People's Liberation Army to invade the US in a matchbox full of green dust.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 2) by TheFool on Tuesday December 11 2018, @08:54PM (4 children)
I don't know about any of these, but I personally like the theory that the Chinese government kidnapped him and he's now being forced to carry out his research in some secret underground facility somewhere. He'll resurface in about 20 years with a genetically engineered army of super-soldiers.
(Score: 2) by arslan on Tuesday December 11 2018, @10:03PM (3 children)
Or Captain China, like in Captain America The First Avenger... this might be the universe in Marvel's multi-verse where the super heroes are predominantly oriental instead of predominantly anglo.
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Tuesday December 11 2018, @10:39PM (1 child)
Oh gods that sounds tedious. Just like the last 50 cheap superhero movies Marvel have rolled out.
Will probably get made.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday December 11 2018, @11:42PM
Heh! You reckon if the 50 superhero movies were not cheap they would be good?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @12:01AM
The Chinaverse will have about the same proportion of black superheroes, in order to deepen the friendship with African vassal states.
(Score: 2) by legont on Wednesday December 12 2018, @02:42AM
It probably does not matter if it is true or not; not much anyway. Now the Pandora box is open and everybody have to do it because there is no guarantee that others don't, while it is obviously possible; in secret mind you.
The race for a perfect solder is on.
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.