Scientists and ethicists from seven countries, including New Zealand, are insisting on a global moratorium for editing DNA in human sperm, embryos and eggs. Co-author of the comment piece, Professor Jing-Bao Nie, from Bioethics Centre at University of Otago, said Dr He's genetic misadventure is unsurprising. Professor of Genetics at University of Otago, Peter Dearden, said Dr He's work highlighted important ethical questions that needed to be addressed. For example in Dr He's experiment, his attempt to make the twins resistant to HIV could have caused other side effects. But Dr Sheppard said there was still huge potential in editing adult cells instead.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 13, 2019 18:45 UTC