Soon, three-parent babies are allowed to be born in the UK

Britain is the first country to allow three-parent babies
In the UK, babies with the DNA of three parents may be produced in the future. Although the method has been used in Mexico before, it has not been explicitly allowed in any nation yet. The controversial technology is intended to prevent hereditary diseases from being passed on to children.

Prevent transmission of hereditary diseases
According to the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA), embryos containing the genotype of three human beings may be produced in British laboratories in the future. The technology is designed to enable women to become pregnant without passing on certain hereditary diseases to their child. A panel of experts convened by the HEFA had recommended weeks ago to agree to "cautious intervention" under "special circumstances", a statement said.

Great Britain is the first country in the world where embryos with the genetic heritage of three people are allowed to be produced. The first three-parent babies could be born by the end of next year. (Image: bevisphoto / fotolia.com)

Great Britain is the first country that allows the method
It is about hereditary diseases that affect the DNA in the power plants of the cell (mitochondria). The two methods, Maternal Spindle Transfer (MST) and Pronuclear Transfer (PNT), also pose risks, as detailed in a report by HEFA.

According to the information, Great Britain is the first country in the world that explicitly permits such treatment methods.

Critics warn of the danger of "designer babies"
Already last year, Parliament cleared the way for babies with three parents and formally allowed the technology.

Critics pointed out then that legalizing the method could pave the way for "designer babies". However, experts pointed out that third-person DNA accounts for less than one percent of the embryo's modified genes.

Child born with the genetic material of three parents
The Ethics Committee of the HFEA now had the last word in the matter. Now clinics in the UK can apply for a therapeutic method license. The first three-parent babies could be born by the end of next year.

In Mexico, a baby was first born in April with the genetic material of three parents.

Treatment in Mexico for legal reasons
The mother of the boy suffers from the so-called Leigh syndrome, a rare hereditary disease. She had already lost several children before and after birth. Therefore, the doctors from the USA decided for the new technology to meet the desire of children from Jordan-born parents.

The magazine "New Scientist" wrote at that time of the "3-parent" technique. The treatment took place in Mexico because there is no legal regulation for the reproductive medical procedure.

Criticism from experts
Long before the legalization, critics warned against the new methods. "These techniques are unnecessary and insecure and are in fact rejected by the majority," Dr. David King from the "Human Genetics Alert" years ago to the "BBC".

"It's a disaster that the decision to cross the line, which could ultimately lead to a eugenic designer baby market, should be made on the basis of a totally biased and inadequate counseling."

Even today, many scientists are very critical of the treatment. For example, Shoukrat Mitalipov of Portland's Oregon Health and Science University reported in the journal Nature that mitochondrial replacement therapy may not always prevent the onset of the disease. The method must first be tested in clinical trials. (Ad)