The September 2021 issue of the newsletter TRENDS, featured an article on the topic of biological technology prospects, with an emphasis on CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats). Designed as a tool for editing human genes, since it began to attract attention in the media in 2012, ethical discussions about the legal status of such editing have been generated. Shocking reactions occurred around the world in November 2018 when it was learned that two babies had been born in China with DNA edited while they were embryos, a development in genetics as dramatic as the 1996 cloning of Dolly the sheep. Presently, the fate of these three-year-old toddlers remains shrouded in secrecy amid swirls of rumors. Many individuals who were contacted for an article published in the December 2021 issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology refused to speak about the children, who purportedly are healthy. Some respondents agreed to do so only on condition of anonymity.
The original goal of these heritable gene edits was to generate HIV-resistance by introducing germline mutations. The effort was roundly criticized by researchers and ethicists. Thus far, the children themselves have not received much attention. They are considered both celebrities and victims, with their health and well-being a closely held secret. Initially, it was envisioned that development and health would be monitored until their 18th birthdays. Upon reaching adulthood, the girls would be asked to re-consent in order for the testing to continue. An anonymous source indicates that the babies reportedly had medical checkups at birth, at one and six months of age, and at one year. Establishing how the edits to their genomes will translate into health benefits or risks later in life is challenging. Because of widely differing viewpoints on the potential impact of these edits on their physical and mental health, it is difficult to know what lies ahead for the girls.