A Life Science Union under the Chinese Association for Science and Technology said on Tuesday that it „resolutely rejects so-called scientific research and biotechnology attempts that violate the spirit of science and ethics.“
The Chinese Union of Life Science Societies has 22 nationally-owned member societies. The Union said in a statement that the case of alleged „genetically modified babies“ has broken ethics and morals and regulations.
He Jiankui is a Chinese scientist working in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. He claimed on Monday that the world’s first genetically modified babies were born in early November. A gene called CCR5 was eliminated so that children could be immune to infection with the AIDS virus in the future.
The statement said the case had disturbed the order of scientific research and severely damaged China’s international reputation in the field of life sciences.
The careful use of gene technology was a matter that would affect the health and long-term well-being of humanity, the statement said. She added that China has published a moral code and clinical research regulations that governed stem cell research and applications in 2003 and 2015, respectively.
The Union said that China’s scientific and technological circles would, as always, abide by the scientific and academic ethics principles and the corresponding international rules. Furthermore, they would promote social development and human progress through innovative scientific research.
