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Safe sex still best way to avoid HIV infection, says top Hong Kong doctor as he questions He Jiankui’s claim of genetically edited babies being immune
- Dr Kenny Chan says doctors already have ways of helping people avoid the virus that causes Aids
- ‘I think we should adhere to those ways,’ he says
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Hong Kong’s top HIV doctor has said safe sex remains the best way of avoiding infection by the virus that causes Aids, despite reports of the world’s first genetically modified babies being immune to it.
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Dr Kenny Chan Chi-wai said he could not comment further on the controversial research by He Jiankui of the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, as there was limited information. The Shenzhen researcher was scheduled to speak on Wednesday at an international summit on gene editing at the University of Hong Kong.
Chan said on Tuesday: “HIV infection has happened for over three decades and then over the years, the medical community has found very effective and very safe ways to prevent it.
“I think we should adhere to those ways.”
Scientists warn of ‘far-reaching effects’ of He Jiankui’s GM babies
A spokesman for the Department of Health agreed there were public health interventions which were “safe and effective to prevent HIV transmission”.
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He also questioned the merits of He’s research.
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