Consultation on babies born with three parents

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has started a consultation regarding the possible treatments for certain diseases caused by defects in a certain part of genetic material past from mother to child (called the mitochondria).

Genetic defects can cause problems such as muscle weakness, blindness, heart failure, and in rare cases it can be fatal, though in many cases there are no symptoms.

The treatment means that the possibly defective genetic material is replaced by a donor, although it is a very small amount of material it would mean that the child would have genes from three different people (the father, the mother and the donor). More details of the treatment can be found here on the BBC website.

Obviously there are serious questions about this new technology, given its promise of saving some children from serious illness, so the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is holding a consultation to take the views of the public on board. The consultation can be found here.

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