Britain debates controversial genetic procedure
Britain debates genetic procedure which could pave way for children with 3 biological parents - YouTube
How can a couple avoid passing on genetic diseases to their child? Well, it’s now possible to create a baby from three different people and Britain could become the first country in the world to approve the controversial technique.
Women with faulty mitochondria, that’s the energy source in a cell, can pass defects on to their child that often results in diseases such as muscular dystrophy and mental retardation.
Doug Turnbull, University of Newcastle:
"There isn't any treatment, any cure for patients with mitochondrial disease. What we are trying to do is trying to prevent the transmission from mother to child."
Scientists are now able to prevent that transmission by taking only the healthy genetic material from a mother’s egg and transfer it into a healthy donor egg that has its own DNA removed.
Nicola Parker, mitochondrial disease patient:
"No parent wants to see their child suffer and struggle with a condition that inhibits their life. You want the best for your child and if they can stop these genetics, like hereditary genetic conditions being passed on, that's all well and good, that's just an excellent thing."
But some groups oppose artificial reproduction techniques and believe the destruction of eggs or embryos to be immoral.
Dr David King, Human Genetics Alert:
"As a scientist I'm not that impressed with it, but what really concerns me is that once we allow this and we cross this crucial ethical line, which has been put down a line in the sand by governments and ethicists around the world for the last 20 years that we simply shouldn't genetically alter human beings, once we cross that line we will inevitably, step by step, slowly slowly, get to that future that everybody wants to avoid, of genetically modified designer babies and a market in children."
Sally Davies, Britain's chief medical officer:
"The issue is we're not trying to change how people are, we're not touching the nuclearDNAwhich comes from both parents, that makes us look as we are, act as we are, be as we are, it's about the power supply, the energy for the cell and only that."
If British lawmakers agree later this year, the UK would become the first country in the world where the technique could be used to create babies. Experts say the procedures would likely only be used in about a dozen women every year.
source: Video - Britain debates controversial genetic procedure - News - jn1.tv
Britain debates genetic procedure which could pave way for children with 3 biological parents - YouTube
How can a couple avoid passing on genetic diseases to their child? Well, it’s now possible to create a baby from three different people and Britain could become the first country in the world to approve the controversial technique.
Women with faulty mitochondria, that’s the energy source in a cell, can pass defects on to their child that often results in diseases such as muscular dystrophy and mental retardation.
Doug Turnbull, University of Newcastle:
"There isn't any treatment, any cure for patients with mitochondrial disease. What we are trying to do is trying to prevent the transmission from mother to child."
Scientists are now able to prevent that transmission by taking only the healthy genetic material from a mother’s egg and transfer it into a healthy donor egg that has its own DNA removed.
Nicola Parker, mitochondrial disease patient:
"No parent wants to see their child suffer and struggle with a condition that inhibits their life. You want the best for your child and if they can stop these genetics, like hereditary genetic conditions being passed on, that's all well and good, that's just an excellent thing."
But some groups oppose artificial reproduction techniques and believe the destruction of eggs or embryos to be immoral.
Dr David King, Human Genetics Alert:
"As a scientist I'm not that impressed with it, but what really concerns me is that once we allow this and we cross this crucial ethical line, which has been put down a line in the sand by governments and ethicists around the world for the last 20 years that we simply shouldn't genetically alter human beings, once we cross that line we will inevitably, step by step, slowly slowly, get to that future that everybody wants to avoid, of genetically modified designer babies and a market in children."
Sally Davies, Britain's chief medical officer:
"The issue is we're not trying to change how people are, we're not touching the nuclearDNAwhich comes from both parents, that makes us look as we are, act as we are, be as we are, it's about the power supply, the energy for the cell and only that."
If British lawmakers agree later this year, the UK would become the first country in the world where the technique could be used to create babies. Experts say the procedures would likely only be used in about a dozen women every year.
source: Video - Britain debates controversial genetic procedure - News - jn1.tv
