VOA慢速英语2019 中国出台基因编辑新规定

After Scandal, China Proposes New Rules for Gene¹ Editing

China has proposed new rules for gene editing and other “high risk” biomedical technologies. The proposals come three months after a Chinese researcher was widely criticized after claiming he had created the world’s first genetically³-edited babies.

中国出台了针对基因编辑和其它“高风险”生物医学技术的新规定。在该提案出台的三个月前，中国一名研究人员声称他创造了全球首批基因编辑婴儿，他也因此受到了广泛批评。

A draft of the measures was published this week on the website of China's National Health Commission. The new rules would cover gene editing, stem cell experiments and biological products created for the human body, the Chinese government-supported Global Times newspaper reported.

本周在中国国家卫生委员会网站上公布了该措施的一份草案。据政府支持的《环球时报》报道，该新规定将会覆盖基因编辑、干细胞实验以及为人体制造的生物制品。

Future projects considered high-risk would have to be approved and managed by health department officials from the State Council, China's national cabinet, the report said. Biomedical research projects considered to have small or medium risk would be managed by local health departments, it added.

该报道称，未来被认为存在高风险的项目必须得到中国国务院卫生部门官员的批准。报告还称，被认为具有中低风险的生物医学研究项目将由当地卫生部门管理。

The new rules would also require research experiments to pass academic and ethical⁴ examinations, the Global Times reported.

据《环球时报》报道，这些新规定还要求研究实验需要通过学术和道德审查。

Violations⁵ of the rules would result in punishment for medical organizations or individuals, the draft proposal said. Punishments could include large fines or a ban on future research. Individuals could also face criminal prosecution⁶.

这份提案草案称，违反规定的医疗组织或个人将会受到处罚。处罚包括巨额罚款或是禁止参与未来研究，个人可能还会面临刑事指控。

The back story

新闻背景

These rules come after Chinese researcher He Jiankui reported last November that he had helped make the world's first genetically edited babies. He said he had edited – meaning changed – the genetic² material of two human embryos⁸. The embryos developed into twin girls, who were born.

去年11月中国研究人员贺建奎报告称，他帮助创造了全球首批基因编辑婴儿，中国政府在此之后出台了这些规定。贺建奎称他编辑了两个人类胚胎的遗传物质。这些胚胎发育成一对双胞胎女婴并出生。

He Jiankui said he had performed the gene editing to help protect the babies from infection with HIV, the virus responsible for the disease AIDS. He said the process had "worked safely" and the two girls were "as healthy as any other babies."

贺建奎称，他进行基因编辑是为了帮助这些婴儿免受艾滋病毒的感染，这种病毒会引发艾滋病。贺建奎表示，这一过程“安全地工作”，这两个女孩和其他婴儿一样健康。

His claims were quickly condemned⁹ by members of the world scientific community, who denounced them as "irresponsible." The Chinese government ordered a halt to the work soon after news media reported on the experiment.

他的声明很快受到了全球科学界成员的谴责，大家谴责他“不负责任。”中国政府在媒体报道该实验后很快下令停止这项工作。

This kind of gene editing is banned in the United States and many other countries. Such changes to a person's DNA¹⁰ can pass to future generations and risks harming other genes¹¹.

这种基因编辑在美国和其它许多国家都被禁止。人类遗传物质的这种改变可以传给下一代，并可能会危害其它基因。

The researcher's employer, Southern University of Science and Technology of China, said it did not know about his activities. China's Ministry¹² of Science and Technology called the experiment "unacceptable."

这位研究人员的工作单位中国南方科技大学声称对贺建奎的行为并不知情。中国科技部称该实验“不可接受。”

He Jiankui spoke¹³ to a reporter with The Associated Press the month before his project was made public. At the time, he said he believed gene editing of human embryos resulting in live births was legal in China. The country had no law specifically banning it.

贺建奎在项目公开前接受了美联社一位记者的采访。当时他声称他认为对人类胚胎进行基因编辑并出生在中国是合法的。该国并没有专门的法律禁止这类行为。

But China's official Xinhua News Agency reported last month He Jiankui had broken national guidelines and would be punished for any legal violations. Xinhua did not specify¹⁴ which laws were violated, but noted¹⁵ he had created a false ethical examination.

但是中国官方的新华社上个月报道称，贺建奎违反了国家指导方针，并将因违法行为受到惩罚。新华社并未具体指明贺建奎违反了哪些法律，但是指出贺建奎制造了一份虚假的伦理审查。

Along with the twins, another embryo⁷ yet to be born reportedly resulted from He Jiankui's experiment. All three are to remain under medical observation with regular visits from government health department officials, Xinhua reported.

据报道，除了这一对双胞胎，贺建奎的实验中还有一个胚胎尚未出生。据新华社报道，这三者都将继续接受医学观察，并受到政府卫生部门官员的定期探访。

Words in This Story

draft – n. a plan or proposal that has not yet reached its finished form

manage – v. be in control of a project, company, team, etc.

ethical – adj. relating to what is right or wrong

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) – n. a substance that carries genetic information in the cells of plants and animals

1 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

2 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

3 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

4 ethical   

adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。
• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。

5 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

6 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

7 embryo   

n.胚胎，萌芽的事物

参考例句：

• They are engaging in an embryo research.他们正在进行一项胚胎研究。
• The project was barely in embryo.该计划只是个雏形。

8 embryos   

n.晶胚；胚，胚胎( embryo的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Somatic cells of angiosperms enter a regenerative phase and behave like embryos. 被子植物体细胞进入一个生殖阶段，而且其行为象胚。 来自辞典例句
• Evolution can explain why human embryos look like gilled fishes. 进化论能够解释为什么人类的胚胎看起来象除去了内脏的鱼一样。 来自辞典例句

9 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

10 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

11 genes   

n.基因( gene的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You have good genes from your parents, so you should live a long time. 你从父母那儿获得优良的基因，所以能够活得很长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Differences will help to reveal the functions of the genes. 它们间的差异将会帮助我们揭开基因多种功能。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 生物技术的世纪

12 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

13 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

14 specify   

vt.指定，详细说明

参考例句：

• We should specify a time and a place for the meeting.我们应指定会议的时间和地点。
• Please specify what you will do.请你详述一下你将做什么。

15 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。