“基因編輯嬰兒”打開了潘多拉魔盒？

It’s long been a scientific dream: to inoculate people against terrible diseases before birth. Recently a Chinese biological researcher brought that possibility in front of the whole world.

令人類先天對重疾免疫是科學界長久以來的夢想。最近，中國的一位生物科學研究者將這種可能性展現在了世人面前。

On Nov 26, He Jiankui from Shenzhen, Guangdong province announced the birth of healthy twin girls, Lulu and Nana, earlier in the month. They came into being via in vitro fertilization with gene editing technology that protected them from HIV infection.

11月26日，來自廣東深圳的賀建奎宣布，一對名為露露和娜娜的雙胞胎于11月初健康誕生。這對雙胞胎在體外受精時采用了基因編輯技術，使她們出生后即能天然抵抗艾滋病。

The reaction to his announcement was explosive. China’s Ministry of Science and Technology has cooperated with other departments to investigate He’s project. In a signed open letter released on Nov 27, 140 Chinese researchers in HIV/AIDS from China and abroad condemned the “unethical” research. They questioned the need for He’s project. The letter said that there are many treatments that prevent babies born to HIV-positive parents from being infected. In fact, there are many drugs for this.

賀建奎宣布的這一消息引起了軒然大波。中國科技部已聯合相關部門對該項目進行調查。11月27日，140多位海內外華裔艾滋病研究專業(yè)人士發(fā)表署名公開信，譴責這項研究“無視倫理道德底線”。信中還表示，在防止新生兒被攜帶艾滋病病毒的父母感染方面，有多種有效的醫(yī)學干預手段。事實上，目前已有許多這方面的有效藥物。

Until now, there has only been gene editing research on faulty embryos. The research only went ahead when it was clear that children would have terrible diseases. But even this research is controversial.

到目前為止，人類只在畸形胚胎上進行過基因編輯研究。只有在明確孩子將患有嚴重疾病的前提下，這項研究才能繼續(xù)下去。但盡管如此，這項研究也充滿爭議。

The idea that research could find ways to switch off genes that cause cancer may be exciting, but it is also troubling.

研究能夠找到敲除致癌基因的想法或許令人感到激動，但同時也令人感到不安。

There are worries about babies that are designed to be superior, with better looks and above average skills. People are also concerned that gene editing changes the human genome, which means that changes will be handed onto future generations and spread through the population.

有人擔心將會出現更漂亮、更聰明的超級“定制寶寶”。還有人擔心基因編輯將會改變人類基因組，從而傳遞給后代，并在全人類中傳播開來。

Such research also raises ethical questions. If successful baby alteration gene technology becomes available, who will be able to use it? Will it be only the wealthy, who can afford it? And if people live much longer lives, will there be an effect on the size of the world population?

這項研究也引發(fā)了道德倫理問題。如果我們能夠成功地運用編輯嬰兒基因的技術，那么誰能夠使用這項技術呢?只有那些支付得起高昂費用的富人才能使用嗎?如果人類的壽命變得更長了，對全球人口的數量是否也會產生影響呢?

Those questions are difficult to answer. But one thing is certain: If the cures have the potential to affect not just those who are treated, but the human population as a whole, it’s important to ensure that scientific advances aren’t getting too far ahead of our understanding of how to use them.

這些問題都很難回答。但有一件事是確定的：如果這些治療方法影響到的不只是接受治療的人，而是整個全人類，那么，確?？茖W進步不會太過超前于我們對其的認知，這點至關重要。