A world 1st as UK votes to allow 鈥3-parent鈥 IVF babies
Print Edition
Britain voted yesterday to become the first country to allow a 鈥渢hree-parent鈥 IVF technique which doctors say can prevent some inherited incurable diseases but which critics see as a step towards creating designer babies.
Parliament voted overwhelmingly for the technique, called mitochondrial donation, which is also known as 鈥渢hree-parent鈥 in vitro fertilization (IVF) because the babies would have DNA from a mother, a father and from a female donor.
The treatments, which are still at the research stage in laboratories in Britain and the United States, are designed to help families with mitochondrial diseases 鈥 incurable conditions passed down the maternal line that affect around one in 6,500 children worldwide.
Proposed new laws allowing the treatments to be carried out in the United Kingdom still have to be approved by Britain鈥檚 upper house, which commentators expect to endorse parliament鈥檚 support later this month.
Under the proposed change to the laws on IVF, as well as receiving the usual 鈥渘uclear鈥 DNA from its mother and father, the embryo would also include a small amount of healthy so-called mDNA from a woman donor.
Mitochondrial donation
鈥淭oday marks a historic day for the future of modern medicine as parliament debates whether the UK should become the first country to allow mitochondrial donation to be used in IVF treatment,鈥 Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer for England, wrote in the Daily Telegraph.
The change could apply to up to 2,500 women of reproductive age in Britain with hereditary mitochondrial diseases but opponents say it opens the way to the possibility of 鈥渄esigner babies鈥 in future.
Mitochondrial DNA (mDNA) is passed through the mother and mitochondrial diseases cause symptoms ranging from poor vision to diabetes and muscle wasting. Mitochondria are structures in cells which generate the energy that allows the human body to function.
Health officials estimate around 125 babies are born with the mutations in Britain every year.
The law would allow Britain鈥檚 Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority to authorize the procedure and a pioneering research center in Newcastle is expected to be the first where it would take place. The first babies with three parents could be born next year.
But many Britons are still against the proposed change despite years of consultation.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
