UK government backs three-person IVF

[muriel_volestrangler]

Source: BBC

The UK looks set to become the first country to allow the creation of babies using DNA from three people, after the government backed the IVF technique.

It will produce draft regulations later this year and the procedure could be offered within two years.

Experts say three-person IVF could eliminate debilitating and potentially fatal mitochondrial diseases that are passed on from mother to child.
...
However, it would result in babies having DNA from two parents and a tiny amount from a third donor as the mitochondria themselves have their own DNA.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23079276

---

I can't see the 'ethical' objections to this. You inherit your mitochondria only from your mother, who got them from her mother, and so on. If they are copied perfectly, then you (and your siblings, if those copies were perfect too) have identical mitochondrial DNA. You may have mDNA identical (or as good as identical) to thousands of other people already (this was what enable them to check the identity of Richard III from his bones, for instance - they found a couple of pure-female-line descendants of his mother).

It's only when a deleterious mutation happens that a child's mitochondrial DNA becomes defective. So what this is doing is going back to some version of mDNA which functions OK. Our mDNA should look a lot like that of many people other than our parents - as well as our mothers'.

Can anyone here explain an ethical objection to this?

[JustAnotherGen]

1. The cost

Part of the Fertility Treadmill is the genetic testing. Even with insurance - we spent out of pocket $600 for the full panel.

One round of IVF with only two sets of DNA cost 13K in NJ. I can't imagine the cost of adding in another person's. Yikes!

[JustAnotherGen]

2. PS

Do you mind if I post this at another site? I'm a member at Fertile Heart and the young uns in their 20's and who have time might find this interesting.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Of course you can - it's public news

There's plenty of coverage from the media which reports British news - Google News UK currently has it as the top story.

https://news.google.co.uk/news/rtc?ncl=d08zH-usH4y8cnMnXwjO8ZQoI7YGM&topic=h

[JustAnotherGen]

5. Done

I've connected there with a young American woman who married and now lives with a Brit in Galway. Since she isn't 30 yet - The UK won't pay for anything. . . Its been all out of pocket for them. But this is very good news for her. Thanks! She needs a little good news since they have a genetic issue at play on their journey.

I pm'd her since that method/ site denies infertility unless you don't have periods anymore.

[Posteritatis]

4. I can't really see any

I anticipate lots of naturalistic fallacies, lots of "stay out of my gene pool," and lots of overpopulation wankery over it though.

[DRoseDARs]

6. Adam and Eve not Ana, Adam and Eve! There, there's your dumb-as-fuck "ethical objection"

They aren't the most complex thinkers, so it isn't that hard to figure out their arguments against a medical procedure.

[Orrex]

7. Has Danny DeVito been reached for comment?