The Chinese doctor who claimed to have created gene-edited human babies has been sentenced to three years in prison.

The closed court in Shenzhen found He Jiankui and two colleagues guilty of illegal medical practice by knowingly violating the country's regulations and ethical principles with their experiments, saying they had "disrupted medical order" and had acted "in the pursuit of personal fame and gain".  The court also ordered He to pay almost AU$615,000 in fines.

The South China Morning Post reported that the court ruled, "None of the three defendants acquired doctor's qualifications.  (They) craved fame and fortune and deliberately went against the country's regulations on scientific research and medical management.  (They) went beyond the bottom lines of scientific research and medical ethics."

In November 2018, He Jiankui announced that he had used the gene-editing technique called CRISPR to alter the genetic make-up of twin girl embryos to protect them from HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.  Many scientists expressed concerns about possible unintended side effects of the genetic changes that could be passed down to future generations, while others expressed doubts he had actually pulled it off.

He later announced the possibility of a third gene-edited baby, and the court acknowledged that three children had been born.  The local government in Guangdong province said it was keeping the babies under medical observation.