THE State Ministry of Science and Technology will cooperate with other departments to investigate the claim that the world’s first gene-edited babies have been created.

The Ministry of Science and Technology is highly concerned and called an emergency meeting Monday night after a Chinese researcher claimed to have created the world’s first gene-edited babies, said Xu Nanping, vice minister of science and technology, Tuesday at a media event.

Xu said that the ministry was following the case closely and would seriously deal with it after clarification.

The vice minister noted that China limits in vitro human embryonic stem cell research to a maximum of 14 days, according to ethical guidelines on human embryonic stem cell research issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the former Ministry of Health in 2003.

He Jiankui, a Chinese researcher based in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, on Monday claimed to have altered the DNA of twin girls born a few weeks ago to prevent them from contracting HIV. It has triggered heated debate in the scientific community and on social media.

On Tuesday, a life science union under the China Association for Science and Technology said it “resolutely opposes so-called scientific researches and biotech applications that violate the spirit of science and ethics.”

The Chinese Union of Life Science Societies, with 22 national-level societies as its members, said in a statement that the case of the claimed “genetically edited babies” breached ethics and morality as well as related regulations.

The case has severely disturbed the order of scientific research and seriously damaged China’s international reputation in the life science field, said the statement.

The careful use of gene editing technology is a matter that concerns the health and long-term well-being of mankind, the statement said.

The union said the scientific and technological circles of China would, as always, stick to scientific and academic ethics and related international rules, and promote social development and human progress through innovative scientific research.

Also, Rice University in the United States said it will investigate the involvement of physics professor Michael Deem, who worked with He on the project in China.

“Regardless of where it was conducted, this work as described in press reports violates scientific conduct guidelines and is inconsistent with ethical norms of the scientific community and Rice University,” the school said in a statement. Such research on gene editing is banned in the U.S., the school added.

(Xinhua)