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| UK becomes first country to licence three-parent babies | |
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| The UK’s fertility regulator has given the green light for clinics to apply for licences to create the country’s first babies made from the DNA of three people. | The UK’s fertility regulator has given the green light for clinics to apply for licences to create the country’s first babies made from the DNA of three people. |
| The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) announced on Thursday that it would accept applications after it met to review the latest scientific evidence for the safety of the procedure. | The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) announced on Thursday that it would accept applications after it met to review the latest scientific evidence for the safety of the procedure. |
| Doctors in Newcastle are ready to offer the experimental technique, called mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT), to women who are at risk of passing on devastating genetic diseases to their children. | Doctors in Newcastle are ready to offer the experimental technique, called mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT), to women who are at risk of passing on devastating genetic diseases to their children. |
| “Today’s historic decision means that parents at very high risk of having a child with a life-threatening mitochondrial disease may soon have the chance of a healthy, genetically-related child. This is life-changing for those families,” said Sally Cheshire, chair of the HFEA. “We feel now is the right time to carefully introduce this new treatment in the limited circumstances recommended by the panel.” | “Today’s historic decision means that parents at very high risk of having a child with a life-threatening mitochondrial disease may soon have the chance of a healthy, genetically-related child. This is life-changing for those families,” said Sally Cheshire, chair of the HFEA. “We feel now is the right time to carefully introduce this new treatment in the limited circumstances recommended by the panel.” |
| MRT was developed by the Newcastle team to help women with mutations in the DNA of their mitochondria, the tiny battery-like structures that provide energy for cells. Tissue cells can have hundreds of mitochondria which are passed on from mother to child. | MRT was developed by the Newcastle team to help women with mutations in the DNA of their mitochondria, the tiny battery-like structures that provide energy for cells. Tissue cells can have hundreds of mitochondria which are passed on from mother to child. |
| About one in 10,000 newborns are affected by mitochondrial disease. Many children who are born with the conditions die young, as the mutations cause the brain, heart, muscles and other energy-demanding tissues to fail. | About one in 10,000 newborns are affected by mitochondrial disease. Many children who are born with the conditions die young, as the mutations cause the brain, heart, muscles and other energy-demanding tissues to fail. |
| MRT is designed to prevent mitochondrial diseases from being passed on by replacing the mother’s defective mitochondria with those from a healthy donor. The resulting baby would have the usual 23 pairs of chromosomes from both parents, but with mitochondria from the healthy donor. | MRT is designed to prevent mitochondrial diseases from being passed on by replacing the mother’s defective mitochondria with those from a healthy donor. The resulting baby would have the usual 23 pairs of chromosomes from both parents, but with mitochondria from the healthy donor. |
| The Newcastle team will apply for a licence that allows the clinic to offer the procedure. If that is successful, they will then apply to perform the procedure on a particular couple who have chosen to go ahead with the treatment. | The Newcastle team will apply for a licence that allows the clinic to offer the procedure. If that is successful, they will then apply to perform the procedure on a particular couple who have chosen to go ahead with the treatment. |
| Women with faulty mitochondria have a number of options to avoid passing on genetic disorders. They can adopt, or have IVF with healthy donor eggs. If they wish to have genetically-related children, they can either take the risk of natural birth, or have IVF with a screening procedure called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). This can help doctors to select embryos with the fewest mutations, but it cannot help when all of a woman’s embryos are affected. | Women with faulty mitochondria have a number of options to avoid passing on genetic disorders. They can adopt, or have IVF with healthy donor eggs. If they wish to have genetically-related children, they can either take the risk of natural birth, or have IVF with a screening procedure called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). This can help doctors to select embryos with the fewest mutations, but it cannot help when all of a woman’s embryos are affected. |
| While MRT could be a good alternative for some women, the treatment is not without its own risks. Studies suggest that it is possible for small amounts of mutated DNA that are carried over from the mother’s egg into the donor’s to replicate and potentially scupper the attempt to block the disease. | While MRT could be a good alternative for some women, the treatment is not without its own risks. Studies suggest that it is possible for small amounts of mutated DNA that are carried over from the mother’s egg into the donor’s to replicate and potentially scupper the attempt to block the disease. |
| The procedure also raises ethical concerns. Because the genetic manipulation affects all of the cells in the embryo, any glitches the procedure might introduce could potentially be passed down to future generations. | The procedure also raises ethical concerns. Because the genetic manipulation affects all of the cells in the embryo, any glitches the procedure might introduce could potentially be passed down to future generations. |
| Doug Turnbull, director of the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University, said his team aimed to treat 25 carefully-selected women a year to reduce their risk of passing on the diseases. The patients will all have counselling and have other options explained to them, and any children born will have full medical follow-up. | Doug Turnbull, director of the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research at Newcastle University, said his team aimed to treat 25 carefully-selected women a year to reduce their risk of passing on the diseases. The patients will all have counselling and have other options explained to them, and any children born will have full medical follow-up. |
| “We are delighted by today’s decision as it paves the way offering mitochondrial donation as part of an NHS-funded package of care for families affected by mitochondrial DNA disease,” Turnbull said. | “We are delighted by today’s decision as it paves the way offering mitochondrial donation as part of an NHS-funded package of care for families affected by mitochondrial DNA disease,” Turnbull said. |
| Frances Flinter, professor in clinical genetics at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is wonderful news for families who have, in some cases, waited years or even generations for the chance of having a healthy baby. Mitochondrial disorders can be very serious, progressive conditions and some couples know that they will never be able to have a healthy child of their own without trying this new therapeutic approach.” | Frances Flinter, professor in clinical genetics at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is wonderful news for families who have, in some cases, waited years or even generations for the chance of having a healthy baby. Mitochondrial disorders can be very serious, progressive conditions and some couples know that they will never be able to have a healthy child of their own without trying this new therapeutic approach.” |
| Robert Meadowcroft, CEO of Muscular Dystrophy UK, added: “This historic decision will open the door to the first licensed treatments being offered to eligible women affected by mitochondrial disease. Families have, understandably, had to wait through years of thorough ethical, safety and public reviews. We know of many women who have faced heartache and tragedy, and the sorrow of stillbirths, while trying to start their own family, and this decision gives them new hope and choice for the first time. We recognise this approach is not without some uncertainty, and, in any trial, success cannot be guaranteed. However, it is important that women are able to make informed choices by understanding the risks and the potential benefits.” | Robert Meadowcroft, CEO of Muscular Dystrophy UK, added: “This historic decision will open the door to the first licensed treatments being offered to eligible women affected by mitochondrial disease. Families have, understandably, had to wait through years of thorough ethical, safety and public reviews. We know of many women who have faced heartache and tragedy, and the sorrow of stillbirths, while trying to start their own family, and this decision gives them new hope and choice for the first time. We recognise this approach is not without some uncertainty, and, in any trial, success cannot be guaranteed. However, it is important that women are able to make informed choices by understanding the risks and the potential benefits.” |