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China, Unhampered by Rules, Races Ahead in Gene-Editing Trials (wsj.com)

U.S. scientists helped devise the Crispr biotechnology tool. First to test it in humans are Chinese doctors (Editor's note: the link may be paywalled; alternative link). WSJ reports: In a hospital west of Shanghai, Wu Shixiu since March has been trying to treat cancer patients using a promising new gene-editing tool. U.S. scientists helped devise the tool, known as Crispr-Cas9, which has captured global attention since a 2012 report said it can be used to edit DNA. Doctors haven't been allowed to use it in human trials in America. That isn't the case for Dr. Wu and others in China. In a quirk of the globalized technology arena, Dr. Wu can forge ahead with the tool because he faces few regulatory hurdles to testing it on humans. [...] There is little doubt China was first out of the block testing Crispr on humans. Nine trials in China are listed in a U.S. National Library of Medicine database. The Wall Street Journal found at least two other hospital trials, including one beginning in 2015 -- a year earlier than previously reported. Journal reporting found at least 86 Chinese patients have had their genes edited.

3 of 159 comments (clear)

  1. Re:More government regulations holding us back by Narcocide · · Score: 5, Informative

    No proof yet that they've cured shit. For all we know they just gave the test subjects double-cancer.

  2. I, For One, ... by crunchygranola · · Score: 4, Informative

    I, for one, welcome our new genetically engineered Chinese overlords!

    --
    Second class citizen of the New Gilded Age
  3. Re:More government regulations holding us back by CanHasDIY · · Score: 4, Informative

    America doesn't win anymore

    China's allowing scientific experimentation on it's own people

    FTFY. While I don't necessarily agree with the US government's position in this regard, let's not fool ourselves into thinking that the Chinese government has any altruistic intent when it comes to allowing their populace to be used as guinea pigs - their human-rights track record speaks for itself in this regard.

    --
    An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese