Children born deaf can hear in both ears in world-first gene therapy trial

Dr Yilai Shu examining a young patient. Two children in China who were born deaf can now listen and dance to music after undergoing pioneering gene therapy that restored hearing in both ears. Picture: Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University/PA Wire

Two children in China who were born deaf can now listen and dance to music after undergoing pioneering gene therapy that restored hearing in both ears.

They are among a small group of patients who were the first in the world to receive this ground-breaking treatment.