A leading medical university in China has launched an investigation following the death of a young girl during an experimental gene-editing treatment at a hospital in Shanghai.
According to reports by Science magazine, the girl’s parents had paid approximately €748,000 for the development of the treatment, hoping that the therapy would correct a genetic defect responsible for developmental problems.
Following the treatment, the girl developed a high fever and kidney damage before later passing away in intensive care.
The hospital’s ethics board determined that the death was linked to the therapy, but the case was not made public, CNN reported.
The trial was conducted by researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and aimed to use gene-editing technology to treat a rare genetic disorder.
The case has raised concerns over the safety, ethical oversight, and regulation of emerging biomedical trials in China, as authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation.
