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from the mothers-day-just-got-more-expensive dept.
The BBC reports that three-person IVF will soon be legal in the United Kingdom. The procedure involves replacing mitochondrial DNA in an embryo from that of a second woman in order to eliminate deadly mitochondrial genetic disorders. Alana Saarinen was successfully conceived in the U.S. using the procedure back in 2000, but the FDA banned ooplasm transfer in 2001.
The UK has now become the first country to approve laws to allow the creation of babies from three people. The modified version of IVF has passed its final legislative obstacle after being approved by the House of Lords. The fertility regulator will now decide how to license the procedure to prevent babies inheriting deadly genetic diseases. The first baby could be born as early as 2016. A large majority of MPs in the House of Commons approved "three-person babies" earlier this month. The House of Lords tonight rejected an attempt to block the plan by a majority of 232. Estimates suggest 150 couples would be suitable to have babies through the technique each year.
Additional coverage at Wired UK and The Guardian.
Related: UK Parliament Gives Three-"Source" IVF the Go-Ahead.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by kbahey on Thursday February 26 2015, @11:58PM
This will have the side effect of messing up genetic analysis.
Whether this analysis is for health reasons, or population genetics, there is no way to tell that mtDNA is not from the same gametes as the sole parent.
The result may be wrong conclusions, wrong therapy, ...etc.
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(Score: 2) by bootsy on Friday February 27 2015, @08:17AM
Given the problems this treatment solves though it is worth this minor drawback. Most of these parents' children would die in a particularly unpleasent way very early one in life (usually before 25 and some a lot younger) and it causes the UK Health Service ( and therefore UK taxpayers ) a considerable amount of money and resources to try and make their remaining life as good as it could be.
The UK Birth rate is dropping even with an influx of immigrants doing their best to push it up so the argument that the parents just shouldn't have children seems a bit harsh.