Chinese scientist He Jiankui, who gained international attention in 2018 for creating the world’s first gene-edited babies, has once again sparked controversy with a new research proposal. He claimed to have suggested a new idea to modify human embryos in order to stop aging, a concept that has been criticized by experts as unethical and dangerous.
He Jiankui served three years in prison in China for his illicit medical practices and reemerged last year by announcing the opening of a research lab in Beijing. His recent focus has been on gene therapy to treat rare diseases.
In his new proposal, He Jiankui suggested gene-editing mouse embryos and human fertilized egg cells (zygotes) to test whether a specific mutation could provide protection against Alzheimer’s disease. However, experts argue that the proposal is scientifically unsound and raises ethical concerns, particularly regarding the potential impact on human DNA across generations.
The Chinese government has taken steps to regulate gene editing and its ethical aspects in response to He Jiankui’s previous work. Reports indicate that he has been banned from reproductive technology services and faces limitations on his work with human genetic resources.
Critics have called the proposal “insane” and questioned the ethical considerations of genetically modifying the human species to address a complex disease like Alzheimer’s. Some experts view the proposal as more of a publicity stunt than a substantiated research agenda.
He Jiankui has stated that he is collecting feedback from scientists and bioethicists and will revise the proposal. He emphasized that no embryos would be used for pregnancy in this study and that the research would be open, transparent, and subject to government permits and international ethics committee approval.
The controversy surrounding He Jiankui’s research highlights the ongoing ethical and scientific discussions surrounding gene editing and the need for careful regulation and oversight in this field.