Chinese scientist's gene editing may cut life expectancy, study suggests

Experts criticise 'foolish' experiment after research finds mutation that protects against HIV can lead to early death

A rogue Chinese scientist who caused outrage last year when he said he had created the world's first "gene-edited" babies in an attempt to protect them from HIV may also have put them at risk of premature death, experts said on Monday.

He Jiankui sparked an international scientific and ethical row when he said he had used a technology known as Crispr-Cas9 to alter the embryonic genes of twin girls born in November 2018.