In wake of boy’s death, gene editing experts dissect Huidagene’s decisions Reaction veers from ‘not sure it was unreasonable to try’ to dismay over ‘garbage data’

https://www.statnews.com/2026/08/19/huidagene-clinical-trial-deaths-experts-dissect-study-design/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_ZUeqSCkxSlql0x9OPhIztIiAd1mka1A9htgRNWMSb-zLrv9IYHfr_Kr2AWbFHUCAF4kRx27Zhz0kM_V13hx4oU7pdOQ&_hsmi=433874198&utm_content=433874198&utm_source=hs_email By Jason MastAug. 19, 2026 General Assignment Reporter Experts scrutinize Huidagene’s disclosures after patient death Earlier this month, STAT reported that a child who received a gene therapy from the Chinese company Huidagene had died. In the wake of that death, my colleague Jason Mast asked experts to review Huidagene's prior disclosures, particularly a presentation it gave at a prominent scientific conference last year. Reactions were mixed, but some experts highlighted several concerns with the data, with one saying the company put a “positive spin” on them. It’s not clear whether the child's death could have been forseen, but these developments have heightened the debate about the quality and transparency of certain trials in China.