Human Gene Editing: The Case of HIV Immune Twins

Abstract

In 2018, He Jiankui, a Chinese scientist, announced the birth of twin girls whose genomes had been modified using the CRISPR-Cas9 technique, in order to make them immune to HIV. By replicating the CCR5-Δ32 mutation in the embryos, he sought to protect them from the virus transmitted by their father. This scientific breakthrough sparked intense ethical, scientific, and legal debates, highlighting both the potential of gene editing and the risks associated with its use in humans.
This paper analyzes the scientific rationale, the experimental process, the ethical implications, and the future impact of this controversial intervention.