The controversial scientist who was sent to jail over gene editing has admitted he made a mistake experimenting on babies.
In 2018, He Jiankui took the world by surprise when he announced he'd created two genetically modified twin girls, nicknamed Lulu and Nana, using a gene-editing tool named CRISPR-Cas9.
The first two children were born in 2018, then followed by a third, named Amy, in 2019.
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Jiankui's experiment sought to rewrite the CCR5 gene, which can create immunity to infection by HIV through a genetic mutation.
He wanted the children to have either complete or partial HIV resistance, but Jiankui was charged for performing illegal medical practices and received a three-year prison sentence.
The scientist was released in April 2022, after which he claimed the three children were living happily with their parents.
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“They have a normal, peaceful and undisturbed life. This is their wish and we should respect them,” Jiankui told South China Morning Post, adding: "The happiness of the children and their families should come first."
Although he is confident that the children are now living happily, the scientist has admitted some regrets over his actions.
"I did it too quickly,” Jiankui admitted, adding that he has learned and changed a lot over the past four years.
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When asked if he would use a different approach if he ever had the chance to perform a similar experiment again, Jiankui said: “The question is too complex and I do not yet have an answer."
The results of Jiankui's experiment were noted in an unpublished study which claimed that the team had successfully edited the CCR5 genes to create either complete or partial HIV resistance.
However, other scientists who read the study said the data did not support the team's claims, with a report by the MIT Technology Review claiming the team 'didn’t actually reproduce the known mutation'.
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"Rather, they created new mutations, which might lead to HIV resistance but might not,” the report said.
As part of their agreement with the families involved, Jiankui's team is obliged to track the health status of the three children involved in the experiment until they are 18.
After that, it will be up to the children to decide whether they want to continue medical follow-ups.
To help cover the costs of any health-related expenses for the children, Jiankui plans to set up a charitable foundation to raise money.
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Looking ahead to the children's future, Jiankui admitted his feelings were like what any father might have for their child: "You will have high expectations of them, but you also have huge unease."
Following his release from prison, Jiankui has set up a new laboratory in Beijing to work on affordable gene therapies for rare genetic diseases, and plans to register a non-profit research organisation called the Beijing Institute for Rare Disease Research.
Emily Brown