He Jiankui and the World's First Gene-edited Babies

It’s happened. The first children genetically engineered with the powerful DNA-editing tool called CRISPR-Cas9 have been born to a woman in China. Their altered genes will be passed to their children, and their children’s children. Join CRISPR’s co-discoverer, microbiologist Jennifer Doudna, as we explore the perils and the promise of this powerful technology. It is not the first time human ingenuity has created something capable of doing us great good and great harm. Are we up to the challenge of guiding how CRISPR will shape the future?
Watch the full program here: • CRISPR in Context: The...
The Kavli Prize recognizes scientists for their seminal advances in astrophysics, nanoscience, and neuroscience. The series, “The Big, the Small, and the Complex,” is sponsored by The Kavli Foundation.
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[@SkizVids]

I get why it's banned.... but. Lets be honest, these kids when they grow up would be pretty grateful that they weren't born with a crippling disease

[@annablabka8653]

Ccr5 gene is also linked with improving cognitive functions.This might have been a way to try this out.

[@Butlinsgvn6]

@@annablabka8653 It's also linked with a risk of developing influenza, west nile, certain forms of encephalitis

[@Mia-ek1jp]

Fr I'm trying to understand why something that would help so many people is penalized

[@rich9536]

@@Mia-ek1jp the matrix wants to keep us down and take all our money through hospitals that's why

[@Noname-wi8xp]

@@Mia-ek1jp generally because he didn’t actually address an unmet medical need. The science is so new to be throwing this on to vulnerable parents that had no other option for having a biological child without a risk of infection. You can look up the likelihood of a child being born with HIV when the father has it. The risk virtually disappears just from IVF sperm washing, which he did as part of this process, knowing that alone would nearly eliminate the risk. The problem is at the time and possibly still today is china limited IVF therapy. In my position, the scientist acted horribly irresponsibly in using new unproven biological technology (at best) to attempt to solve a legal problem. Rather than work with legal professionals and medical scientists to change policy or develop programs to allow them to gain access, he did this. At worst he played with the emotions of many voluntarily infertile couples and permanently altered the genetic material of their children, not caring about the risks, for the sake of his own reputation.

[@theruffhousedogs]

Everything is controversial at first. Even IV fertilization was a huge deal at one point and now it is normal daily stuff.

[@jamesp9226]

As academics debate about the ethics of gene-editing, how about the truly important question - "Did it work?" If it did, he should win the Nobel Prize and the let the academics debate amongst themselves in a quiet corner somewhere.

[@daniel3231995]

@@azurestarlight more like live in santized bubbles to be observed forever

[@EC-hf8ui]

It worked, and both kids are healthy and well as of December 2021, the experiment is a big success

[@silegend]

​@@EC-hf8ui rill?

[@Noname-wi8xp]

@@silegend not exactly. Search MIT review and the researchers name. That site was really good about tracking what happened and immediately after he made the announcement they ran through a list of what the genetic edits actually looked like and he missed a lot. The doctor, after being released from prison, of course claims the twin girls are healthy, however when asked about the third child created, he says notably less. I wouldn’t believe much of anything this man claims as the Chinese court that sentenced him found he fabricated the ethical review approving his study and the ethical review of his informed consent paperwork which all research participants signed. It’s exceptionally irresponsible to do genetic editing or a third parent baby situation with females as they pass their genetic changes down to the next generation, changing genetics in the population. Most of the recommendations from scientists I’ve seen say it should only be done for a male child for that reason, because we just don’t know the impact of changing our genetics. We do not yet know the risk. However we do know that the gene he edited likely puts individuals at a heightened risk for west Nile virus and a lower immunity for the flu.

[@i.r.sofficial4236]

What a great man, he took the leap that the world didn't want to, and now we know that we can remove diseases out of our own DNA. I hope to see more technology like this being used in the future.

[@SaintFort]

@Guyver Francis Explain, please.

[@yunisss_0423]

@Guyver Francis explain

[@bertvansas7206]

we do not yet know the consequences of the mutations

[@vicchavez6570]

So he cured all diseases?

[@Noname-wi8xp]

He had major ethical lapses in this study and we don’t know that it actually worked. Beyond that, The kids were at little to no risk of contracting HIV through their father with washed sperm from the IVF treatment alone. He did genetic editing on children to solve a medical problem that had virtually zero chance of happening & didn’t edit all the genes he meant to in an attempt to make them hiv resistant. Also, his informed consent form and procedures were terrible. The form is available online. Look at it yourself. This was irresponsible.

[@totaldisaster3758]

For all of you in the comments, please remember that the offense that He committed was not the changes that he made. The offense was that he made any changes at all to HUMAN embryos. This technology is still fairly new, but, the more it develops, the more powerful it will be. If we open the door to human modification, even just a crack, right now, before we've established firm rules, boundaries, and safety/ethical policies, it sets a precedence for future experiments that are not so positive. I've been researching gene-editing technology, and this stuff is not a small change. This opens the doors to all sorts of possibilities... good and evil. Now that this door is open, we have to try and keep it shut until we can answer the question: are we ready to deal with the risks? Our society is already on a very tenuous edge when it comes to the dignity of the human person and the value of our own humanity. I, for one, do not believe that we, as a collective, are in a position of sufficient moral strength or clarity for this new technology to be handled with the responsibility it requires. He may not be a bad person, but perhaps he is ahead of his time.

[@Noname-wi8xp]

Around the same time a scientist was lined up and had paperwork ready for approval to genetically edit the embryos of five different deaf couples children so that their children would not be born deaf. However I’ve seen that in the opposite scenario where couples specifically want their child to be deaf or to have their disability. We’re getting into a very strange place

[@Noname-wi8xp]

Also the standard for quite a few countries is that you CAN do editing to embryos but it cant go beyond day 14 of development. Dr. H went well past that point & implanted them into 2 women which resulted in 3 births which is illegal just about everywhere that regulates it.

[@catlover3296]

HOW DARE THIS MAN!!! How dare he make 2 young girls immune to a life-ruining disease? lock him up forever!!!!

[@aswineditz4276]

😂😂😂😂👍 great slap

[@henrysantiago7533]

There are 3 traits thats run in my family: Diabetes, Heart ploblems and Cancer. Those diseases make many of my family to have a miserable life and ultimately to lose a long batle with those diseases. If someone like Dr. Jiankui can make those genes out of my life so at least my childre and great grandchildred may have a more healthy and prolonged life I would glady accept.

[@MrStudent1978]

What Dr. He Jiankui did needs to be evaluated in its spirit and individually. There could be an evil play by some other scientists in the future, but what Dr. He Jiankui did, he did it with Nobel intentions and executed it responsibly and the outcome is positive and praiseworthy.

[@Noname-wi8xp]

You should take a minute to look up some of the criticisms on it. He lied about a good portion of what he was doing and took some really questionable stances in working with the parents

[@angieweathers7180]

I don’t understand why isn’t the scientific community not pleased by this

[@Martin-xw7kk]

Because it’s not white

[@superbere]

Exactly, you dont understand because youre not a part of the scientific community and you lack the correct education to have a understanding of it.

[@dhoroniboruah]

Because they are afraid.

[@Doomroar]

Didn't he got executed by the Chinese goverment? Man i am kind of glad he is alive, because i am an amoral fan of mad scientist.

[@Melvinshermen]

RoarOfDamnation he is our savour

[@Methyll]

an update he is only getting 3 year of jail time

[@user-ts1gj9wb6u]

@@Methyll "He only got", he'll be home this Christmas.

[@smartalecc]

pretty sure if you ask kids in 20 years time what makes them more angry; being genetically engineered to be healthy / or growing up on a planet filled with pollution, food and drink that kills you, and no more animals... they'd be more angry at the second!

[@nalissolus9213]

The Phenotypic Revolution has possibly begun.

[@ourunit5752]

I think thats a super positive thing he did and we should do more of that on this planet

[@user-mj8zf4qq7u]

He could edit my gene and make my weewee bigger

[@Rocky_Anunnaki]

That's amazing keep doing it This is evolution at its finest

[@elias_xp95]

Evolution is natural. This is not evolution.

[@benjaminblumchen9224]

@@elias_xp95So what else than Evolution is this ? This is meant to be by nature. Keep going

[@elias_xp95]

@@benjaminblumchen9224 No this is the product of man made things. That's like saying a car is natural 😂

[@elias_xp95]

@Ψ No. But apparently many are linguistically challenged.

[@elias_xp95]

@Ψ I haven't insulted anyone, if you feel insulted by my words then you have not understood them which only further proves the point I was making.

[@aswineditz4276]

He will be praised aftet many years later for his discovery

[@chouwachan]

he didnt discover shit lmao

[@hepsima]

@@chouwachan maybe didn't discover but did it first

[@JJs_playground]

I like that concept, "Shenzhen speed". We want to see results, not years and decades of debates and focus groups and discussions.

[@subhamdas8860]

It's surprising that when people with purest of intentions do some work that is a really important step in the evolution of human beings, others who find it difficult to understand it's importance at the moment, criticize them. A day will surely come when gene alteration will be necessary to eradicate diseases which are just not possible through medicines. And then, people will understand the need of it. So, it will be okay then. Let such a disease happen in their families today and let's see if they deny a chance for their kids to have a normal life.

[@lydiakebbal2584]

If it's used only to eradicate diseases that's fine. But humans won't stop at that. And that's the reason why the majority disapprove. Because they are simply scared of its potential.

[@benistingray6097]

@@lydiakebbal2584 So would you say it was a fault to research atomic powers for example just because we could kill all of humanity with it?

[@subhamdas8860]

@@lydiakebbal2584 I know that.. I don't disagree with u. But, almost every medical discovery or technological advancements comes with areas or fields where it may be used for wrong things. What should we do then? Stop doing them? How would that go?

[@subhamdas8860]

@@benistingray6097 I will add something here. The study of atomic power was done by researchers way before it was used for anything that's been done that associated a bad rep to the term 'atomic' or 'nuclear'. They were research which are still being done just in the field of different areas like alternate source of energy using nuclear reactor to put less stress on natural resources. We could not have come here as a civilization without those researches. It's some of us, who always keep finding ways to do something horrible(like killing millions from atomic bombs or use of lethal gas during Kremlin war(I guess)) with it. But, these researches do play very important role in our understanding and we need people like him who take their research and put to noble causes.

[@benistingray6097]

@@subhamdas8860 Was just an example, as you said in your earlier comment, every new, or old for that matter, technology can be missused.

[@luckysui2460]

I support what he did. It helps family who have genetic disease. Family who have never come across any hardship and struggle with their sick child won't understand.

[@Noname-wi8xp]

If China would’ve changed their policy of restricting access IVF, the sperm washing alone, which this man did as part of his procedure, would’ve virtually eliminated the chance that the children were born with the virus anyways. Governmental regulations caused a group of people to feel this vulnerable that they fell prey to someone using unproven technology on their children. There’s tons of ethical review material out there by medical and research ethicists that explain in great detail various things he did wrong. They very easily could end up making children that are severely ill beyond what they would’ve been.

[@kingsleymok4008]

Despite the condemnation of the Scientific Community, largely from the US, I agree and support He Jiankui. He Jiankui 's work is noble and revolutionary. Families need the technology to have healthy family. People need this technology to break away from hereditary disease that has restricted one's life. People have the RIGHT to choose to produce an offspring free from disease that has stricten the family for generations. The scientific community is too restrictive in human evolution. If I was a billionaire, I would personally hire He Jinkui and his to continue with his work in secrecy. I am pretty sure, there are many Millionaires and Billionaires out there who wants him on their payroll. After all, many want to produce that perfect offspring to carry on their genetic legacy.

[@Badsniperarmy]

is it worth the growing pains of a new technology? what if CRISPR changed something else unintended and then the kids die? Was their death worth it for perhaps something that wouldn't have happened if we waited 7 years?

[@rtnjo6936]

science: 'I did not have relations with that man'

[@debajyotisaha8250]

I am a big fan of He, we need a framework for gene-editing for humane use.

[@luffydobrasil1758]

You know the guy lied to the parents saying their babies would be vaccinated against HIV and then proceeded to genetically modify them without their and the government permission right?

[@debajyotisaha8250]

@@luffydobrasil1758 It's tricky, many invention happened in an unethical settings. Even Churchill and Roosevelt are more unethical womanizer, alcoholic than Hitler. Ronald Ross, inventor of Malaria medicine did so by infecting some Indians with Malaria. So, sometimes there is a price to pay for any invention.

[@fouadmas5413]

Ethical guidelines needed this technology is double edged

[@Butlinsgvn6]

@@debajyotisaha8250 Gene editing is nowhere near proven to be safe on humans. In fact there's a risk that these children could end up developing severe abnormalities later in life. Would you let them do this experiment on your child?

[@capricorn839]

He is not playing god. He is playing Satan the devil to destroy the human race

[@tannerray2908]

Welcome to the future

[@GingeyBoi57]

A true genius and a visionary. A shame the world's leaders are too short-sighted to support more research by people like him.

[@Messier31NGC224]

I applaud what he did there curing the HIV baby, but I'm seriously concerned about the potential of this tech, especially knowing the Chinese Government.

[@luzvasquez903]

CIA and other agencies: Sir, LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF...

[@MardrukZeiss]

While we can and must discuss about the ethical dimension of gene modifications on humans, it is the way He has done this modifications that is the issue. Without scientific clearance, transparency and presenting the achievement first by youtube(!) is quite why He really has done what he has done. Personally I'm in favour for genetic engineering not just for health reasons but to help humans to have the best possible set of genetic tendencies. (see Nick Bostrom and the need to differ positional good traits and positional good traits). But for that the procedures must be fully understood and safe.

[@Doomroar]

Yeah, am all aboard gen edition on humans, the problem was that he broke protocol and did it without assessing all the possible risk endangering the kids, which we still don't know how will grow up after this intervention. With that said, i like the guy for forcibly pushing the field by making a precedent on it, we are no longer at a theoretical phase thanks to his recklessness.

[@jayhe7874]

Yes. Last time the effort to cure disease through gene modification failed and killed the patient in 1999. Gene modifications really took a hit from that. The intention was good but we need to be really careful about human experiments. A failure may lead to decrease of funding for further research and other things.

[@yoholup19]

@@Doomroar you have to realize that genetic alteration isn't going to be perfected unless tested he could test it on a mouse but the issue is that it's hard to get mouse embryos without killing the embryo

[@Doomroar]

@@yoholup19 Then we have to explore ways to make getting mouse embryos more easy, that or we will just keep playing Russian roulette with somebody's kid (which may also be an alternative if everybody gets on the same page knowing that if shit happens it happens).

[@deusexmachina8112]

@@jayhe7874 this happened because the gene editing crispr cas9 wasnt discover yet and it was way too inaccurate.

[@whywatchme7586]

Super soldiers en route..

[@ryanmax-grappler8654]

I am not a good looking guy. I have big eyes. If I can give my children a chance at happy life, I would do it

[@thisisyourconcious]

Reminds me of this movie called "GATTACA" starring Ethan Hawke

[@mitchkahle314]

Get over it. We will be designing our children.

[@ragnorockcookie2868]

Designing children is not ethical for both society and different people of group. But getting rid of diseases that plague humanity is okay. That's why I agree with the actions that this men did .

[@leemagaming696]

Wonder when there will be an update on how the gene edited children are doing

[@JohnWong-qg8og]

Personally, I don't find anything wrong what he did. The effort was for a noble cause which no scientist and doctor would ever pioneer in...or should I say... too lazy and too scared to do what no man can do. He Jiankui helped a couple in a dire situation to have a family. He was successful. Now all the so call scientists out there are using their emotions to criticize and chastise him for fear of what science has become. If I was rich like that Arabs, I'd hire He Jiankui as my head scientist and hide him away from the public so that he may continue to explore, pioneer and perfect the work. I would be interested to make my genes for my future generation to be genetically superior over others. After all, it is everyone's dream to have a child who is superior in intelligence, physical attributes, Immune to any diseases, viruses, and bacterias, and good looks. CRISPR gives that opportunity.

[@cbct2nguyenthithuthuy485]

I fully support what he does. He will create a generation of healthier people with less suffering. What is the value of life when sick? He is the son of the Creator or the Buddha for helping people to suffer less

[@angelr2404]

I think his work is revolutionary. So many idiots we wish not to pass into our children, now we wouldn't have to worry.

[@JembruNegasi]

He just got arrested

[@jarrodyuki7081]

fire the bioethicist.

[@CaliburPANDAs]

Gattaca not too far off. soon

[@ryepooh5052]

the only difference is the "natural" human turns into an outcast and seen as a dog to the society of designer babies.

[@smokymountaingirl]

Famous quote... Just because you can doesn't mean you should".......

[@WisdomInfinite-we2bj]

You mean you should not prevent AIDS?

[@ROJ708]

This is a double-edged sword… Chinese Scientist He Jiankui’s intention might be *humanely medically noble for mankind*, but if (undemocratic) CCP China/whoever controls/imprisons him first, his ‘noble work’ can be a strategic self-serving advantageous tool/weapon … If he was in a democratic country, will he be summarily stigmatized, imprisoned?

[@shammuk02]

This scientist is still missting what happened to him?

[@daniel3231995]

home arrest w/ special treatment. ccp definitely learning the trade asap as it gears up for resource wars!

[@leemagaming696]

Lets be real anyone rich enough is gonna be able to use this tech while we arent allowed to

[@Tash-001]

what he is doing is interesting, but pointless human life is not this precious, we are too many

[@Tash-001]

@@tgmtf5963 You too

[@praisethesun7198]

Maybe your live is pointless but bot everyone else

[@aabb-zz9uw]

great hero of mankind

[@shreeramaashokaadakoli6784]

Very nice

[@WS-gw5ms]

Harrison Ford is looking good

[@whome87hathorn85]

They've been doing this. I'm sure they're all around

[@daniel3231995]

Natural VS COORDINATOR

[@jarrodyuki7081]

gene editing should not be held accountable to world institutions or democratic institutions.

[@blacksheepshepherd]

The argument of ethics and technology..

[@tgmtf5963]

Now where are the super soldiers

[@stormer9952]

This is bad juju reminds me of the movie "Gattaca" the movie

[@Mauripsu]

Thank you, Ninja Adachi, very cool!

[@sanarchvizart8226]

What Ethics??? His intention was very clear, .. some hidden agenda behind his missing…

[@user-nx8jc2pm1w]

If the side effects is their just plz cure her better

[@letolethe5878]

There's no evidence these supposed children even exist. No one has seen them or talked to them. The whole thing could easily be a hoax.

[@isaacsechslingloff9894]

I never seen you or talked to you, could you be a bot? Seems like you're a hoax tbh.

[@shrodingerscat8940]

@@isaacsechslingloff9894bro you didn't have to go so hard on him

[@mkodyChallengesYOu]

@@shrodingerscat8940 harder was needed

[@letolethe5878]

"Hurlbut"? That's a corker of a name.

[@NeW758]

Dang this is crazy

[@romandirksen1700]

Что там с ним???

[@arthurmunoz3597]

Lets see from china, went to an american ivy league university, then took that education to china?

[@drenidautaj]

Human genome edting should have clear strict lines and levels of punnishment. That chinese bio physicist should really be fired but his intentions were good and hopefully he didnt do any harm. I think Human genome editing needs years of reasearch before its introduced even with the most simple and easy changes to the gene. If it was an organised event every country in the world should be worried and act against it because it will be used badly.

[@elias_xp95]

It's China. They will make super-soldiers without empathy or personality ready to die in droves for the CCP.

[@drenidautaj]

@@elias_xp95 i was more worried about only the rich being able to pay for perfect genes that prevent all diseases, cos its seems more realistic than controlling which gene makes your brain emotionless...

[@deusexmachina8112]

@@elias_xp95 DNA alteration of thinking is impossible but they can be bred with superhuman strength and be educated.

[@elias_xp95]

@@deusexmachina8112 You don't need to edit DNA to remove a persons empathy. You just need to indoctrinate them.

[@S.Sarajlic]

"but I realised very quickly that he did not have much of a background of thought on ethical issues". Since when science is about ethics or morality? There are no pre-established moralities or ethics. Science is amoral.

[@user-mj8zf4qq7u]

If he was an American then nobody would criticize him

[@Melvinshermen]

And Fuck kristi winters and Kevin logan

[@joannmay-anthony1076]

Whoa....I am glad for the babies, but bummer a over all with out ethical lines to follow.

[@hidayah2961]

Do first, tell later 👍🏼🤢

[@Melvinshermen]

Fuck claudia Brown and yeah nah

[@prustidebashis]

Feeling great first comment seriously.😂🤣😊😋

[@jovanovicoliver]

Creepy.

[@Kenny-tl7ir]

To you, that is.

[@TELEVISIBLE]

Why even mention him ??? Don't even try to justify what his evil act !!!

[@RR-gr1ni]

There is no such thing as evil or good

[@yoholup19]

Evil and good is subjective this is actually a good act in my opinion because through genetic alteration a child can be born with the immunities of all possible viruses even more

[@ellemaatje]

@Jimmy Le everybody is perfect. With or without a great DNA GOD LOVES EVERYBODY

[@sabineschwab2960]

Weirdo

[@blazzinga595]

@@ellemaatje go tell that to a third world low class citizen born with mental and physical disabilities. And while at it. Try and explain to him why HELL EXISTS.