15/12/2016

BabieswithThreeBiologicalParentsAreComingtotheU.K.

Biomedicine

Babies with Three Biological Parents Are

Coming to the U.K.
The British government has given the green light for a technique that will let
parents-to-be sidestep mitochondrial disease.
by Michael Reilly

December 15, 2016

The U.K. has become the rst country to approve a controversial fertility

treatmentthatinvolvescreatingbabieswhohavethreebiological
parents.Themoveisexpectedtohelpsomewomenwithraregenetic
defectsbecomemothersassoonaslate2017.
TheU.K.governmentsHumanFertilisationandEmbryoAuthorityhas
saidthatclinicsaroundthecountryarenowallowedtoapplyfor
licensestoperformmitochondrialreplacementtherapy.Thetechnique
involvestakinganucleusfromaneggorfertilizedembryothathas
defectivemitochondria,andswappingitintoahealthydonoregg.
Oneclinic,theNewcastleFertilityCentre,saiditplannedtoapplyfora
licensewithin24hoursoftheannouncement.AteamatNewcastle
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Universitysaidithopestotreatupto25patientsayearusingthe
technique.
Mitochondriaarethepowerhousesofcells.Andwhiletheycontainjust
atinyamountofgeneticinformation,raremutationsinthe
mitochondriainamothersegg(mendontpassdownmitochondriato
theirchildren)cancausechildrentobebornwithcellsthatdont
produceenoughenergy.Theconditionisoftenfatal.
Doctorshaveworkedforyearstondtreatments,andthreeparent
babieswereborninthelate1990sandearly2000susingadierent
technique.Butfearsthatthemethod,knownascytoplasmictransfer,
causedbirthdefectsledtheFoodandDrugAdministrationtoaskclinics
tostoptheprocedure.Morerecently,Congresshasmadeitclearitisnt
interestedinallowingembryostobegeneticallymodied,evenifit
meansavoidinganawfuldisease.
Anembryothatresultsfromswappinganucleusintoadonoreggwill
containgeneticinformationfromtwowomenandonemangivingrise
toageneticallymodiedperson.ButthedonorsDNAwillonlybe
presentintheformofmitochondria,whichdontplayaroleintraitslike
apersonslooksorpersonality.

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Earlierthisyear,ababyboywasborninthisway.Andthoughhewas
bornintheU.S.,theprocedureforcreatinghimwascarriedoutin
Mexico,wherenolawsgoverngeneticallymodiedembryos.In
givingthetechniqueformalapproval,authoritiesintheU.K.say,they
willbeabletoensureproceduresaretightlyregulatedandchildrenborn
usingmitochondrialreplacementaremonitoredtoensurethatthey
developnormally.
(Readmore:TheGuardian,NewScientist,AThreeParentChildWas
ConceivedinMexico,BecausetheU.S.WontAllowIt,The
UnintendedConsequenceofCongresssBanonDesignerBabies)

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