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Scientists say a Chinese researcher’s claim to have edited the DNA of the “CRISPR babies” and immunized them from HIV has been “a deliberate falsehood”.

In November 2018, biophysicist He Jiankui told the world that he had successfully edited the genes of two newborn twin girls, named Lulu and Nana, modifying their CCR5 gene to make them resistant to HIV.

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He said he used CRISPR genome editing technology to shape the genetic material of the twins. But after his announcement, He faced widespread criticism from the scientific community, who shared concerns for the health of the twins as well as the ethical issues about human gene editing. Many called for a ban on the use of CRISPR technology on humans until more research can be done into its safety.

Despite all the scrutiny, He’s work had never been published in a scientific journal or made public online.

I was hoping to see a reflective and mindful approach to gene editing in human embryos. Unfortunately, it reads more like an experiment in search of a purpose

But on Dec. 3, theMIT Technology Review published excerpts from He’s manuscripts — titled “Birth of Twins After Genome Editing for HIV Resistance — which he had been trying to get published in journals such as Nature and JAMA.