A world-first IVF trial in the UK has successfully reduced the risk of inherited genetic diseases in eight healthy babies born with DNA from three people. The technique, which uses a small amount of healthy mitochondrial DNA from the egg of a donor, has been hailed as a breakthrough and raises hopes for women with mutations in their mitochondrial DNA to have children without passing debilitating or deadly diseases on to their offspring.
The trial involved 22 women who underwent the treatment at the Newcastle Fertility Centre in northeast England. Out of these, eight babies were born, four boys and four girls, who are currently healthy. The amount of mutated mitochondrial DNA was reduced by 95-100% in six of the babies, according to the research.
While some have raised concerns over the ethics of the technique, including the destruction of human embryos and fears it could pave the way for “designer babies,” experts say it offers a vital reproductive option for families affected by devastating mitochondrial diseases. The UK’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has approved the procedure for people with a high risk of passing on a mitochondrial disease.
The trial’s findings have been published in several papers in the New England Journal of Medicine, and researchers are now monitoring the health of the eight children to see if any problems arise. With this breakthrough, the possibility of reducing the transmission of diseases between mother and child becomes more feasible, offering new hope for families affected by mitochondrial diseases.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/babies-dna-3-people-parents-first-ivf-trial-minimize-risk-inherited-disease