Babies with three biological parents could be conceived as early as next year after the government ordered a review of fertility laws. Andrew Lansley, the health secretary, left, is to examine whether a new IVF technique, developed by a team of scientists at Newcastle University, should be approved. The technique combines genetic material from one man and two women in an effort to prevent children from inheriting serious illnesses that can be passed on by mothers. One in 200 children is born with defects in the DNA in parts of their cells known as mitochondria. Such DNA is passed down only by the mother. Defects and mutations in it lead to incurable disease in one in 6,500 babies.
Researchers led by Professor Doug Turnbull have devised the new IVF technique to help couples such as Sharon and Neil Bernardi, from Sunderland, who have lost seven children to mitochondrial disease. Six of their children survived for only a few days after birth. Their eldest child, Edward, left, with Sharon, survived to 21, but died this month. The previous generation of Sharon’s family had also suffered the same condition, losing 11 children. Speaking shortly after Edward’s death, Sharon Bernardi said: “I wasn’t diagnosed until after my fifth baby had died. No one knew why it was happening. It will be too late for me, but it would be amazing if scientists and doctors can prevent this in the future.”
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In the new procedure, a mother at risk of passing on mitochondrial defects creates a fertilised nucleus by IVF using one of her eggs and the father’s sperm. This combination of both parents’ DNA is then injected into a healthy egg from a donor. The modified embryo — which is capable of growing into a child — will then contain nuclear DNA from the mother and father, plus mitochondria from the healthy donor egg. A small amount of genetic material will be inherited from the donor, though this will amount to less than 0.1%. At present it is illegal to implant such embryos in the womb; however, the health secretary has the power to overturn this ban without the need for new legislation.
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Critics say the birth of children with three parents would have great ethical and legal implications. The law already recognises that third parties can contribute to the birth of a child in the form of surrogate mothers. However, the new technique would for the first time involve a third person contributing genetically, raising the question of what rights, if any, such “fractional parents” would have in relation to the child. Lansley has asked the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to convene an expert panel to review the matter. After it reports, he is likely to put the issue to a free vote in the House of Commons. David Cameron is thought to support legalisation of the new procedure.