Is China’s biotech boom at risk? Fear of policy backlash after death in gene-editing trial

The death of a six-year-old girl after receiving an experimental gene-editing therapy has been described by scientists as a tragedy that highlights the need to improve trial safeguards. But some in the biotechnology industry fear Chinese policymakers may curtail the regulatory flexibility that scientists have long enjo

Neuroscientist Qiu Zilong of Shanghai Jiao Tong University is under investigation following the death of a six-year-old girl who was receiving gene-editing therapy during a human trial under his supervision.

A Chinese university is looking into reports that a gene-editing trial caused the death of a six-year-old girl, which was not disclosed in the published research, the school said on Sunday.

The girl, given the pseudonym "Mei", died a week after receiving a spinal infusion of trillions of viruses designed to penetrate the brain for treatment.

The experimental gene therapy was meant to fix a rare genetic condition that caused a delay in cognitive development.

A girl was killed after a tractor hit her while she was playing in front of the house at Kadaladi village near Arani town in Tiruvannamalai on Saturday.The police said the deceased girl was identified as S. Jayashri, 8, daughter of G. Sivalingam and S. Kavitha, who are farmers. The family was living in the village for