A groundbreaking technique called mitochondrial donation therapy has led to the birth of eight babies in the UK with DNA from three people, giving them a chance at a life free from a devastating illness. The procedure involves removing genetic information from an affected mother’s fertilized embryo and inserting it into one from a healthy female donor, leaving behind diseased mitochondria.
The illnesses caused by mitochondrial disease are severe and often fatal, affecting around 1 in 5,000 babies born in the UK. However, for eight families, this new technique offers hope. The procedure has been tested with a 36% success rate, resulting in five healthy children who will require ongoing monitoring.
While there are concerns over changing the “germ-line” and potential long-term effects, the technique holds promise for families affected by mitochondrial disease. This is a significant advance in human embryo research, allowing women at high risk of passing on severe disease to qualify for the procedure.
The NHS has established a specialized facility in Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals to offer this treatment, making it available only to those who need it most. The babies born through this technique carry DNA from three different people – their mother and two healthy female donors – but researchers argue that this unique genetic code has no bearing on inherited traits.
With eight new families now hopeful of a cure for mitochondrial disease, the medical community is watching with interest as this innovative procedure continues to evolve.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/babies-born-in-uk-with-dna-from-three-people-to-treat-inherited-disease-takes-medicine-into-uncharted-territory-13397706