WHO Advises Against Unscrupulous Human Gene Editing Experiments
The World Health Organization has moved to curb experiments that might result in the birth of more gene-edited humans. An advisory panel released new standards, and urged the WHO to stand by a 2019 statement from its director-general to halt dangerous experiments.
Stat:
WHO Advisers Urge Global Effort To Regulate Genome Editing
On Monday, a World Health Organization advisory committee called on the world’s largest public health authority to stand by the 2019 statement of its director-general urging a halt to any experiments that might lead to the births of more gene-edited humans. The committee — established in December 2018, weeks after news broke of the birth of twin girls whose genomes were edited by Chinese scientist He Jiankui — said in a pair of long-awaited reports that the germline editing technology that led to the “CRISPR babies” scandal is still too scientifically and ethically fraught for use. But for other, less controversial forms of gene-editing, the reports offer a path to how governments might establish the technology as a tool for improving public health. (Molteni, 7/12)
The Wall Street Journal:
WHO Panel Issues Gene-Editing Standards Aimed At Averting DNA Dystopia
A World Health Organization expert advisory panel Monday issued two new reports recommending the implementation of global standards aimed at preventing unscrupulous, inequitable and potentially dangerous uses of Crispr and other gene-editing technologies. The reports call for efforts to develop global standards, the establishment of an international registry of gene-editing experiments and a way for whistleblowers to report concerns. Their release comes more than two years after a Chinese researcher triggered international outrage when he revealed that he had used Crispr to produce the first gene-edited babies. (Dockser Marcus, 7/12)
More pharma news —
Stat:
Dozens Of Generic Makers Won't Face Zantac Cancer Risk Lawsuits
A federal court judge dismissed all claims against dozens of generic manufacturers and retailers in sprawling litigation over allegations that the Zantac heartburn pill may contain a carcinogen, although brand-name drug makers will continue to face more than 1,400 lawsuits over the issue. The ruling is the latest chapter in an ongoing saga over the safety of the widely used heartburn medicine, which is also known as ranitidine. The pills were recalled by numerous manufacturers in 2019 after the Food and Drug Administration found some contained higher than acceptable levels of NDMA, an organic chemical that is part of a carcinogenic group of compounds called N-nitrosamines. (Silverman, 7/12)
And on drug resistance —
CIDRAP:
Non-Antibiotic Drugs May Be A Risk For Resistant Bacteria
A study of hospital patients in Israel found a link between multidrug-resistant gut bacteria and exposure to commonly used non-antimicrobial drugs (NAMDs), researchers reported last week at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID). Out of 1,807 patients admitted to Tel Aviv Medical Center from Jan 1, 2017, to Apr 18, 2019, who had upper urinary tract infection, positive urine or blood culture growing Enterobacterales, and exposure to any of 19 NAMDs prior to admission, 994 patient samples (52.2%) contained drug resistant organisms and 431 (23.8%) had multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). Univariate analysis found that exposure to seven drug classes was associated with a resistant organism, and three drug classes—proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), beta-blockers, and antimetabolites—were significantly associated with MDROs. (7/12)
CIDRAP:
Resistant Bacteria Found In More Than Half Of Dog Food Samples
In another study presented at ECCMID last week, researchers from Portugal reported that samples of commercially available dog food contained MDR Enterococci, including isolates that were genetically identical to bacteria isolated from hospital patients. The researchers analyzed 55 samples of dog food (22 wet, 8 dry, 4 semi-wet, 7 treats, and 14 raw-frozen) and found that 30 samples (54%) contained Enterococci that expressed resistance to erythromycin (73%), tetracycline (63%), quinupristin-dalfopristin (60%), streptomycin (53%), chloramphenicol (50%), ampicillin or ciprofloxacin (47% each), gentamycin (40%), linezolid (23%), or vancomycin and teicplanin (2% each). MDR isolates were found in all the raw-frozen samples and three of the non-raw samples. (7/12)
