When we first covered the legalisation of the controversial three-people IVF technique, the practice becoming legal still seemed far off. But in a bold turn of events, UK has become the first country in the world to approve this procedure involving usage of DNA from one man and two women to create babies with lower probability of inherited diseases.
The method has been advocated against by some groups as they fear it would lead to the creation of genetically modified “designer babies.”
But the method was granted an official approval on Thursday by Britain’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, with the justification that it will help in avoiding inherited and incurable mitochondrial diseases. These diseases include poor vision, diabetes, muscular dystrophy, and even fatal heart problems.
The method requires adding a healthy mitochondrion from another female to the “nuclear DNA” from their original parents. The review panel has recommended the procedure’s use in cases
“where inheritance of the disease is likely to cause death or serious disease and where there are no acceptable alternatives.”
The proposed method was already practiced and had its first success, in Mexico earlier this year, where a British couple made use of the “lack of legislation” to go ahead with the technique.
What are your views on the IVF technique? Should it be allowed, or is it equivalent pushing the laws of nature? Comment below!
