Chinese Scientist Visa Brings Gene Editing Ethics Back Into the Spotlight

What’s the story?

• Hong Kong revoked the visa of a controversial gene therapy scientist, He Jiankui, less than a day after it was granted. 
• The visa, originally granted under Hong Kong’s new talent scheme to attract professionals to the city, was revoked because the Chinese scientist lied about his criminal record. 
• In 2018, He Jiankui edited the genes of twin girls to be HIV-resistant. He was found guilty of violating Chinese regulations on scientific research and practicing medicine without a license and sentenced to three years in prison and a 3 million yuan ($US 432,000) fine. 
• The news drew global attention to the ethics of gene editing, a form of genetic engineering that can result in beneficial and harmful heritable changes spanning multiple generations. 

Opportunities for gene editing

• Certain gene editing technologies show promise in preventing and treating hereditary diseases such as Huntington's disease, cancer, muscular dystrophy, and cystic fibrosis.
• One modern gene editing tool, CRISPR, shows potential in cancer research and treatment. It cuts DNA at precise locations, which is then repaired by natural DNA repair mechanisms, resulting in a permanent change in the sequence. The technology’s pioneers, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020.
• In an interview with Nobel Prize Conversations, Emmanuelle said: 

“One should not underestimate the fact that CRISPR-Cas9, even though it is a wonderful tool, it would be extremely difficult to get the technology to modify more than one gene at a time. So I think, let’s say, indeed unfortunately we may see unfortunate and really unwanted experiments.”

Arguments against gene editing

• Researchers found that 80% of Americans oppose using reproductive technology for non-health reasons. 
• While gene editing holds an opportunity for improving human health, there are concerns that a select few bad actors could exploit it. Some fear that privileged individuals seeking greater reproductive control would take advantage of the technology, leading to the creation of genetically modified humans, colloquially referred to as "designer babies."
• Many Americans worry that gene editing will reduce human diversity and increase social inequality. Others question the ethics of human germline editing, as future generations would inherit any changes.
• Feng Zhang, a ​​neuroscientist who helped pioneer CRISPR, told the Belfer Center at Harvard Kennedy School:

“Society needs to figure out if we all want to do this, if this is good for society, and that takes time. If we do, we need to have guidelines first so that the people who do this work can proceed in a responsible way, with the right oversight and quality controls.”

• On the future impact of gene editing on society, technologist Bruce McCabe said: 

“Germline engineering and gene editing will wreak havoc on a localized level, impacting hundreds of children at times. But it will not lead to the emergence of a super species, or transhumanism. People will see germline engineering coming into conflict with our survival as a species, and it won’t be pretty."

Do you support or oppose gene editing?

- Laura Woods

(Photo Credit: iStock/Natali_Mis)