A Chinese scientist who claims to have created the world’s first genetically edited babies has paused the trial following international outcry.
Geneticist He Jiankui defended his work on Wednesday saying he had successfully altered the DNA of twin girls born to a HIV positive father.
While the procedure is a potential fix for inheritable diseases, it is extremely controversial within the medical community as it has the potential to eventually alter the entire gene pool.
The editing of human DNA is banned in some countries including the USA, and is tightly controlled in others.