UK Wedding News
04/06/2014
The technique would use eggs from two women and the sperm of one man which would be used to prevent fatal mitochondrial diseases. It is thought that one in 6,500 babies are born with severe mitochondrial disease. The diseases are caused by damage to the mitochondria, or 'power stations', in the cells of the body. As a result of the damage, the babies do not have enough energy to function which can lead to conditions such as blindness, heart failure or even death.
The move has proved controversial and while the UK fertility regulator has said there is no evidence to suggest the technique would be unsafe, it added that additional checks need to be carried out.
A scientific panel was established by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) which looked at two advanced forms of IVF. The methods used material from three people, which were the mother and father-to-be, as well as another woman with healthy mitochondria. Mitochondria are passed from mother to child and have their own unique DNA. If this treatment was to go ahead, children born using this method would have genetic material from three people.
Before any procedures are performed however, the HFEA has said additional investigations would be carried out. These would include a detailed assessment of the efficiency of the techniques proposed, as well as any risk to the child – and future generations – of mutated mitochondria being used during the treatment.
Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, from the Medical Research Council and a member of the scientific panel, is quoted as saying: "The direction of travel still suggests that it is all safe, but we don't know what's round the corner so we're being a little cautious.
"I think that [two years] is not a bad estimation. The other sorts of experiments that we thought were necessary, again it will take about two years to complete all of those."
Professor Andy Greenfield, who chaired the scientific review panel, added that the safety of the procedure is not straightforward.
He explained: "Are these techniques safe in humans? We won't know that until it's actually done in humans.
"Until a healthy baby is born we cannot say 100% that these techniques are safe, if you think back to when IVF was a new technology all of these questions were asked before IVF."
The UK government has supported the move for 'three-person' babies in principle, but ethical concerns have also been raised regarding the process.
(JP/IT)
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'Three-Person' Babies Expected In Two Years
A new review has said that creating babies from three people will be possible in around two years – if the technique is made legal.The technique would use eggs from two women and the sperm of one man which would be used to prevent fatal mitochondrial diseases. It is thought that one in 6,500 babies are born with severe mitochondrial disease. The diseases are caused by damage to the mitochondria, or 'power stations', in the cells of the body. As a result of the damage, the babies do not have enough energy to function which can lead to conditions such as blindness, heart failure or even death.
The move has proved controversial and while the UK fertility regulator has said there is no evidence to suggest the technique would be unsafe, it added that additional checks need to be carried out.
A scientific panel was established by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) which looked at two advanced forms of IVF. The methods used material from three people, which were the mother and father-to-be, as well as another woman with healthy mitochondria. Mitochondria are passed from mother to child and have their own unique DNA. If this treatment was to go ahead, children born using this method would have genetic material from three people.
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Before any procedures are performed however, the HFEA has said additional investigations would be carried out. These would include a detailed assessment of the efficiency of the techniques proposed, as well as any risk to the child – and future generations – of mutated mitochondria being used during the treatment.
Professor Robin Lovell-Badge, from the Medical Research Council and a member of the scientific panel, is quoted as saying: "The direction of travel still suggests that it is all safe, but we don't know what's round the corner so we're being a little cautious.
"I think that [two years] is not a bad estimation. The other sorts of experiments that we thought were necessary, again it will take about two years to complete all of those."
Professor Andy Greenfield, who chaired the scientific review panel, added that the safety of the procedure is not straightforward.
He explained: "Are these techniques safe in humans? We won't know that until it's actually done in humans.
"Until a healthy baby is born we cannot say 100% that these techniques are safe, if you think back to when IVF was a new technology all of these questions were asked before IVF."
The UK government has supported the move for 'three-person' babies in principle, but ethical concerns have also been raised regarding the process.
(JP/IT)
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