Gene-Edited Baby Claim by Chinese Scientist Sparks Outrage

He Jiankui speaks during an interview at a laboratory in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China on Oct. 10, 2018. Chinese scientist He claims he helped make the world's first genetically edited babies: twin girls whose DNA he said he altered. He revealed it on Nov. 26, 2018 in Hong Kong to one of the organizers of an international conference on gene editing. Mark Schiefelbein/AP

HONG KONG—Scientists and bioethics experts reacted with shock, anger and alarm on Nov. 26 to a Chinese researcher’s claim that he helped make the world’s first genetically edited babies.

He Jiankui of Southern University of Science and Technology of China said he altered the DNA of twin girls born earlier this month to try to help them resist possible future infection with the AIDS virus—a dubious goal, ethically and scientifically.